The brief examines the current status of the WASH (Water and Sanitation) initiative in Africa, status of countries prioritizing this in their plans and discussing what relevant stakeholders can do going forward to close the financing gaps. It was prepared by the African Civil Society Network on Water and Sanitation (WASH) in Africa.  Investment in WASH is beneficial in achieving SDGs beyond water and sanitation to different sectors such as Health and Education. Uganda was recognized as one of the few countries that indicated availability of more than 75% of financial resources for implementation of WASH.

One of the major challenges identified is the disconnect between sector policies, targets and budget allocations. There is however lack of capacity to effectively implement the commonly used Financing frameworks used in macro-economic planning.

Developing country Governments were noted to struggle with capability to oversee water and sanitation services with adequate incentives for sustainability. The responsibility has been decentralized to Local Governments but with limited training and assistance. Furthermore, the investment in ensuring quality drinking water is lacking especially in rural areas. According to the Global Analysis and Assessment of Sanitation and Drinking-Water (GLAAS) 2019 report data, 60% of the 40 African Countries have formally approved policies for national drinking water both in rural and urban areas; 55% for sanitation; and 45% for hygiene.

A key recommendation made was supporting development of information systems to track financial flows and progress. Uganda was commended for having the budget website dedicated to providing information on national expenditure as well as a digital atlas for progress on the WASH program.

For more insight, the full policy brief can be accessed using the link: https://www.sanitationandwaterforall.org/sites/default/files/2022-03/ANEW%20Policy%20Brief.pdf