Allies are needed to help the Democratic Republic of the Congo (RDC) reach its sustainable development goal of granting universal access to water and sanitation by 2030.
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the World Bank are joining forces to implement the Global Water Security and Sanitation Partnership, instrumental to achieving the goals of the PASEA project.
PASEA – Water Supply and Sanitation Access Program – is a $1.25-billion long-term World Bank program designed to give at least primary water access to an additional 12 million people and primary sanitation access to at least 8 million people. Its $400-million first phase was launched in May 2024. This USAID-World Bank agreement is set to support the implementation of sector governance reforms, improve local private sector capacity, and enhance the performance of REGIDESO – Régie de Distribution d’Eau, the country’s national water utility – through targeted technical assistance such as digitalizing service provision, structuring water service delegation contracts, improving regulatory capacity, and building markets for sanitation services. This partnership could serve as a model for other projects, demonstrating the power of collaborating towards shared development goals.