AfDB approves new five-year strategic plan to increase water security

The board of directors of the African Development Bank (AfDB) says it has approved a new five-year water strategy for 2021-2025.

The bank disclosed this in a statement titled “Towards a Water-Secure Africa’’ on Wednesday in Abidjan.

According to the bank, the strategic plan was approved on November 17th to increase water security in Africa and to foster its sustainable, green and inclusive socio-economic growth and development.

Beth Dunford, the bank’s Vice-President for agriculture, human and social development, said it was a significant milestone for the bank.

“This is a significant milestone for the Bank in terms of seeing water development and sanitation as key components toward improving the quality of life for the people of Africa,” she said. 

Dunford also stated that the strategy would help the bank to expand its role as the continent’s partner while promoting integrated development and management of Africa’s water sector.

The strategy is expected to guide AfDB’s implementation of its policy on water, which it approved earlier in 2021.

The water strategy’s four pillars underscore the importance of water and sanitation for socio-economic development; sustainability, resilience, and inclusivity; food production, nutrition and hydropower.

In his part, Osward Chanda, the bank’s director for water development and sanitation, said that water is a key enabler for many of the United Nations’ SDGs.

“Water is a key enabler for many of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, and the Bank considers water to be essential for life, health, dignity, empowerment, environmental sustainability, peace and prosperity,” he said. 

The bank said that more than 100 of its stakeholders provided inputs to develop the strategy, which the board lauded as exemplary.