DailyNews Mobile Edition - Dar es Salaam gets 142 billion/- water, sanitation grant

Dar es Salaam gets 142 billion/- water, sanitation grant

THE European Union (EU) and the German Development Bank (KfW) have dished a total of 71 million Euros (approximately 142bn/-) grant towards improvement of infrastructure for water and sanitation.

At a signing ceremony held in Dar es Salaam, the EU Representative in Tanzania, Mr Filiberto Sebregondi, said the EU believes that access to improved water and sanitation facilities leads to improved health as targeted under the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Water, Eng. Christopher Sayi, signed the documents on behalf of the government of Tanzania while KfW was represented by its Director, Dr Klaus Muller. "Lack of funds is among challenges that have stalled a number of water projects countywide; the fund we are receiving today will help us complete the projects," he said.

Mr Sebregondi said EU member states were committed to support the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals by the year 2015. "This is why water and sanitation have remained priority under our partnership with Tanzania, which is clearly confirmed by the significant number of projects.

There are so far 40 projects funded by the EU over the last decade," he said. Through the agreement, the EU has agreed to provide 51.56 million Euros to support access to drinking water for an estimated 500,000 and access to sanitation services for some 140,000 residents in towns of Lindi, Sumbawanga and Kigoma.

He said the financing agreement with the government of Tanzania was signed during the visit of the European Commission President, Mr Jose Manuel Barroso to Tanzania in July, this year. On the other hand, the KfW provided 20 million Euros to support the projects and to ensure funding for implementation of same measures in Babati and Mtwara.

The funds will allow supplying potable water and sanitation to Babati and Mtwara to ultimately reach out to 960,000 beneficiaries.