WASHINGTON, September 30, 2025 --The World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors has approved a financing envelope of up to $1.58 billion for a new program that will dramatically increase access to climate-resilient water supply, sanitation, and hygiene services across 12 countries in Eastern and Southern Africa. The Accelerating Access to Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Program will be implemented in multiple phases, and benefit at least 30 million people, with special attention to women, girls, and marginalized populations.
The region has found itself at a crossroads, facing a mounting crisis in water and sanitation that threatens not only public health but also economic growth and social equity. Despite some progress in the last decades, hundreds of millions still lack access to basic water and sanitation, especially in rural areas This gap is rooted in service delivery failure, lack of sector prioritization and weak governance, and results in lost productivity, stunted children, and persistent poverty, all exacerbated by climate shocks such as droughts and floods. Women and girls shoulder a disproportionate burden, often spending hours each day collecting water, which limits their opportunities for education and participation in the economy.
Launched in partnership with the African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD) and national governments, the new WASH Program represents a strategic shift from fragmented, country-by-country interventions to a coordinated, systems-change approach that seeks to transform the WASH sector across borders in three regional phases and twelve country phases.
“The program is rooted in the belief that only by strengthening governance, mobilizing innovative financing, and fostering regional collaboration can the region hope to accelerate access to basic services that are absolutely critical for people and businesses to thrive,” said Ndiamé Diop, World Bank Vice President for Eastern and Southern Africa. “Beyond infrastructure, this support is also about shifting mindsets, empowering women and communities by reducing the time and risks associated with water collection, and creating both labor intensive and skilled jobs.”
The program has four pillars: building national and regional platforms for WASH acceleration; advancing governance and regulatory reforms; improving service delivery performance; and leveraging financing—including private capital—for climate-resilient infrastructure. The regional phases, led by AUDA-NEPAD, will provide technical assistance, knowledge sharing, and benchmarking to participating countries, while also supporting the development of transboundary water management plans—a critical need in a region where water resources often cross-national borders.
The program will target 12 countries – which represent the bulk of WASH access needs in the region: Angola, Burundi, Comoros, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Malawi, Madagascar, Mozambique, Somalia, South Sudan, Tanzania and Zambia. Initially, it will support the second phase of Tanzania’s Sustainable Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Program (SRWSSP II).
Over the past two decades, Tanzania has made significant strides in expanding WASH services, yet gaps remain—particularly in rural areas, where inadequate WASH facilities contribute to lost school days and poor health outcomes, disproportionately affecting girls and women. New support will integrate infrastructure investments with institutional strengthening, policy reforms, and innovative financing mechanisms. SWSSP II also extends its support to Zanzibar for sectoral reforms and capacity building. The program aims to provide at least basic water supply to 3 million people, basic sanitation to 4.5 million, basic hygiene services to 3.25 million, and WASH facilities to 1,300 public primary schools and 1,000 government-run public healthcare facilities. It also seeks to mobilize $20 million in private capital, recognizing that public funding alone cannot close the investment gap.
Contacts:
In Washington: Daniella van Leggelo-Padilla, +1 (202) 473-4989, dvanleggelo@worldbank.org
