Malawi

EU and EIB funded water and sanitation project to benefit a million Malawians

The Malawi peri-urban water and sanitation project, funded by the European Investment Bank – EIB / BEI, the European Union, and the Malawi government, was inaugurated in Blantyre, Malawi. The inauguration was attended by Minister of Irrigation and Water Development, Hon Richie Biswick Muheya M.P., European Union Ambassador to Malawi, Alexander Baum, and Jane Shirran, representative of the EIB's southern Africa regional office in Pretoria.  Alexander Baum, EU Ambassador to Malawi, explained: "This investment programme represents a unique combination of loan and grant funding particularly suitable for the water sector. It will significantly improve piped water and sanitation services for people living in low-income areas of Blantyre and Lilongwe, Malawi’s two main cities; 723,000 additional people will receive safe drinking water and 468,000 people in low-income areas will have access to basic sanitation facilities." The project will include upgrading key water and sanitation infrastructure and institutional capacity-development. In addition to the two water boards, financial support will be given to local NGOs advising on project implementation. The overall programme will also include a HIV/AIDS initiative. The total project cost is €32 million and will be financed through an EU Water Facility Grant of €14.9 million, a subsidised €15.7 million loan from the European Investment Bank, technical assistance and support from the Malawi government.

BEI – 24-08-2010 ref. 2010-138-EN