Manila [Philippines], November 16 : The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is set to intensify its efforts to enhance sanitation infrastructure and services in Asia and the Pacific, thanks to a USD 8 million replenishment from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to the Sanitation Financing Partnership Trust Fund.
According to a report by ADB, since its inception in 2013, the trust fund has played a crucial role in leveraging over USD 1.64 billion in ADB investments dedicated to citywide inclusive sanitation (CWIS) projects across ADB developing member countries (DMCs).
The recent replenishment brings the total financial contribution from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to USD 27 million.
ADB Water and Urban Development Sector Office Senior Director Norio Saito said, "We highly appreciate the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation's continued support to the Sanitation Financing Partnership Trust Fund. This contribution will help ADB scale up and magnify the impact of our initiatives to improve access to safe sanitation in the region."
The new funding infusion will propel ADB's focus on climate-resilient sanitation infrastructure and services, aiming to make these services affordable, safe, inclusive, and effective.
Additionally, it will create an enabling environment for the increased adoption of CWIS strategies and transformative sanitation technologies in ADB operations.
ADB Water and Urban Development Sector Office Director for Strategy and Partnerships Satoshi Ishii emphasized the ongoing commitment to sanitation security and health outcomes in the region.
Ishii said, "The trust fund continues to deliver on our commitment to improving sanitation security and health outcomes in the region and promoting the CWIS approach. This will help ensure that our DMCs will receive much-needed assistance to promote innovations in project design, build capacity, support institutional reforms, and spur private sector investments in CWIS projects."
Established in 2013, the trust fund focuses on investments in faecal sludge management, emphasizing markets, regulatory frameworks, and innovative business models for delivering no-piped sanitation and seepage management services in DMCs.
The trust fund also accelerates the adoption of the CWIS approach for adequate, equitable, and inclusive sanitation service solutions in the region.
Since its inception, the trust fund has positively impacted the sanitation of 13.93 million people in the region.
Of the USD 1.64 billion leveraged investments in CWIS projects, approximately USD 410 million has been directed toward answered sanitation and faecal sludge management projects.
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Deputy Director for Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene Roshan Shrestha expressed confidence in the collaboration's ability to drive innovation in sanitation service delivery and transformative technology, furthering the foundation's mission to improve lives in developing countries in Asia.
Shrestha said, "Accelerating innovations in citywide inclusive sanitation service delivery and transformative sanitation technology remains central to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation's efforts in the water, sanitation, and hygiene space. We are confident that continuing this collaboration with ADB allows the foundation to accelerate our mission to make life healthier, safer, and more dignified for millions in developing countries in Asia".
The trust fund operates under ADB's Water Financing Partnership Facility, catalysing financial and knowledge resources from development partners to support ADB's water sector operations.
As of December 2022, the facility has mobilized nearly USD 10 billion in ADB water sector investments, benefiting approximately 123 million people in 20 DMCs.
ADB remains committed to achieving a prosperous, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable Asia and the Pacific, with ongoing efforts to eradicate extreme poverty.
Disclaimer: This post has been auto-published from an agency feed without any modifications to the text and has not been reviewed by an editor