Photo credit: UNICEF
A United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) program has improved the reliability and affordability of water services for refugees, internally displaced persons and host communities in Ethiopia, Somalia and Sudan, according to a new evaluation.
The Regional Program on Water and Sanitation for Refugees, Internally Displaced Persons and Host Communities in East Africa (R-WASH) has reached more than 243,000 people, exceeding its target by over 20 per cent.
Investments in network rehabilitation, solar-powered systems and utility-managed infrastructure helped reduce interruptions and costs. In Somalia, the proportion of households experiencing 24-hour water interruptions fell from 83 per cent to 38 per cent. Water production costs declined by 22 per cent in Sudan and 16 per cent in Somalia, while a shift from emergency water trucking to a piped system in Ethiopia cut costs by more than 90 per cent.
By combining immediate support with long-term investments in climate-resilient infrastructure and local utilities and government capacity, R-WASH is helping build more reliable, affordable, and sustainable water services while advancing progress toward Sustainable Development Goal 6 and the Global Compact on Refugees.
R-WASH is supported by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) through the German Development Bank (KfW), alongside the Africa Development Bank and other partners.
