Africa has the lowest total water supply and sanitation coverage of any region in the world with 300 million people having no access to safe water and about 313 million with no access to sanitation. These deficiencies are reflected in the high incidence of water related diseases and exact a heavy toll on the social and economic progress of African countries. The African Development Bank conceived the Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Initiative (RWSSI) in 2002, primarily to address the problem of low access to Water Supply and Sanitation services in rural Africa in response to the call for the attainment of the goals of the Africa Water Vision in the context of achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The Initiative is aimed at providing basic water supply and sanitation services to 80% of the African rural population by 2015.

The Bank’s Boards of Directors approved the Framework for Implementation (FFI) of the Initiative in March 2004 paving the way for concerted action to implement the Initiative activities, which include lending and non-lending operations. The key elements of the FFI call for the Bank Group to play a lead catalytic role by galvanizing support and mobilizing resources through the building of partnerships with donors, governments, and communities for implementing the Initiative. Under the FFI, it is estimated that additional investments of up to US$14,700 million will be required, in order to attain the 80 % coverage by the year 2015. The Bank Group is expected to mobilize about 30% of the overall requirements.

With regard to implementation, the Bank will employ fast paced flexible mechanisms in programme design, implementation and disbursement, which will significantly accelerate investments. The general country eligibility criterion for support under the RWSSI is country performance, as determined by its potential for effective and sustainable programme implementation. In general therefore all RMCs are eligible for support. Eligibility for investment intervention would however, be contingent on the availability of sound policy and supportive institutions as well as an expressed demand backed by prioritising rural water supply and sanitation in the country PRSP.