The African Water Facility is a unique project preparation facility, a continental accelerator mobilising financial resources to achieve water security and sanitation for all towards the attainment of the African Water Vision 2025 as well as water-related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The AWF promotes consideration of gender and social equality themes in the context of water resources development, management and WASH service delivery in Africa. Women and girls are often the primary users, providers and managers of water and sanitation in their households, and the guardians of personal and domestic hygiene.
Under its revised 2017-2025 Strategy, the AWF seeks to contribute to the development of effective water governance systems, river/lake basin level cooperation, and an enabling environment for water investments in Africa by supporting the development and review of policy and regulatory frameworks, capacity building of water sector institutions at national/subnational, REC and RBO levels.
The AWF addresses climate change mainstreaming in its projects through integration of :
The AWF current Strategy covers the period 2017-2025 and aligns with the operations of the Bank Group’s new Water Policy (2021) and AfDB Water Strategy (2021), which embrace a broader focus on water security. The long-term goal of the AWF strategy revised in 2021 is to contribute to “improved quality of life for urban and rural communities in Africa”.
The funders of the AWF to-date are Algeria, Australia, Austria, Burkina Faso, Canada, Denmark, France, Nigeria, Norway, United Kingdom, Senegal, Spain, Sweden, AfDB, European Commission, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and The Nordic Development Fund.
The AWF is funded through cash and in-kind contributions from donor countries, multilateral development finance institutions, philanthropic and other organizations.
The AWF provides grants and technical assistance to support the preparation and implementation of water and sanitation infrastructure projects as well as water management measures throughout Africa, thereby contributing to attainment of the Africa Water Vision 2025 and water-related Sustainable Development Goals. The AWF’s long-term goal is contribute to improved quality of life for rural and urban communities in Africa. The objectives of the AWF 2017-2025 Strategy are anchored on four strategic pillars.
The purpose and mandate of the African Water Facility is to pool the resources mobilized from donors and participants to finance water and sanitation infrastructure and water investment facilitating activities in Africa. The AWF has a current existence mandate up to 2050, which shall be reviewed and extended as required.
The African Water Facility is housed within the headquarters of the African Development Bank Group in the Centre de Commerce International d'Abidjan (CCIA) building on Joseph Anoma Avenue in Plateau, Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire.