LUSAKA, Jan. 10 (Xinhua) -- The African Development Bank (AfDB) has provided Zambia with about 13.2 million U.S. dollars to support a project aimed at enhancing water, sanitation, and hygiene in selected districts, according to a statement released on Friday.
The funding, part of the "Improving Access and Strengthening Innovations for Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene" initiative, will focus on developing climate-resilient water supply infrastructure, upgrading sanitation and hygiene services, and strengthening institutional capacity. The project will target Kabwe in central Zambia and Bauleni township, a densely populated area in Lusaka, the country's capital.
Minister of Water Development and Sanitation Collins Nzovu said the project, expected to create 465 jobs during its four-year construction period, will also improve the technical and financial sustainability of water utilities in Lusaka and Kabwe.
"This amount of investment demonstrates the confidence that cooperating partners have in the leadership of President Hakainde Hichilema and the government's prudent utilization of public resources, since it took office in 2021," he said in a statement.
The project is expected to benefit 160,000 people in Lusaka by improving access to water through the construction of new infrastructure. Additionally, gender-sensitive and disability-friendly sanitation and hygiene facilities will be built in select schools and health centers in both Lusaka and Kabwe, benefiting over 460,000 people. ■
