African Development Bank Group

The African Development Bank Group is the regional development bank for Africa. It includes the African Development Bank (AfDB), based in the Ivory Coast, and the African Development Fund (ADF). The AfDB has the potential to become a world class development institution as it continues to improve efficiency and effectiveness. The UK demonstrated its commitment to the AfDB by doubling the UK contribution to the African Development Fund in 2008.

UK funding contributed to projects which included:

Improving basic education and health in schools in Niger.
Supporting the preservation of the Congo Basin Ecosystems by ensuring that people living in the forests can earn sustainable livelihoods whist also slowing the rate of deforestation.
A solar thermal power station in Morocco which will produce up to 2,000 megawatts of electricity, an annual saving of one million tons of oil.

The AfDB has established the African Legal Support Facility (ALSF) to provide financial and technical support to countries facing legal proceedings by vulture funds. Vulture funds are companies that buy the debt of poor countries at a reduced price, and then sue for the full value of the debt plus interest. The UK has taken a leading role in tackling vulture funds and is a prominent advocate of the ALSF.

Water and sanitation in Senegal

Clean water has been recognised by the international community as a human right. Access to clean water and sanitation helps prevent the spread of infectious diseases and is essential for a family’s health and hygiene. However one-sixth of the world’s population is still without clean water and two-fifths are without adequate sanitation.

The African Development Bank is funding a project in Senegal to provide drinking water and sanitation to 800,000 people. The project will improve drinking water and sanitation services in 240 rural communities located in the regions of Louga, Ziguinchor and Kolda. Around 17,577 new family and public latrines will be constructed and 79 boreholes will be built or rehabilitated. In addition, the project will train bricklayers, borehole managers, primary school teachers and female relays to raise awareness of public hygiene in the regions.

So far, the facilities have helped provide drinking water to 103,000 more people and sanitation access to 36,700 people. The project has already significantly improved the rate of drinking water and sanitation supply, reinforced the involvement of women in the management of water and sanitation facilities, and developed the private sector in the various areas of intervention. In February 2009, the bank approved £31 million to extend the project to the southern part of the country.

Last updated: 13 Jul 2010

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