World Bank approves $80m grant for Ethiopia WSSP

1 April 2010

The Water Supply and Sanitation Project (WSSP) in Ethiopia will be credited with $80 million (£52.5 million), following approval from the World Bank.

Yitbarek Tessema, World Bank task team leader for the ongoing project, stated: "Approximately 1.5 million rural people have benefited from improved water supply and sanitation services through capacity building in 204 woredas and construction of 3,364 rural water supply schemes."

Implemented in 2004, the WSSP originally aimed to increase access to sustainable water supply as well as sanitation services.

The World Bank revealed that the urban aspect to the project has seen financial gaps, unlike the rural component.

As a result, the latest grant hopes to cover costs such as larger-than-expected populations participating in the WSSP.

Due to run until the end of March 2013, the project is being implemented by regional bureaus, ministries and woreda offices of water, health and education.

A woreda is an administrative division of Ethiopia that is the equivalent of a district.

Category: Water