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