Photo: Retrieved from international-partnerships.ec.europa.eu

Excerpt from international-partnerships.ec.europa.eu

• This new €14 million Global Gateway investment in infrastructure will improve the water network in and around the São Tomé capital, boost the country’s resilience against climate change, and help empower women and girls.
• Three out of four people on the Central African island of São Tomé will have improved access to drinking water.
• A €8.44 million loan from the European Investment Bank, guaranteed by the EU, is complemented by a €5.56 million EU investment grant and expert advice.

At the United Nations (UN) 5^th Conference for Least Developed Countries (LDC5), the European Investment Bank (EIB) and the European Union (EU) announced new Team Europe support of €14 million to improve the water network on the island of São Tomé. The project, which is part of the EU’s Global Gateway strategy, is expected to bring economic, social and environmental benefits for the country and the communities concerned.

More efficient water distribution will help to strengthen the island against the effects of climate change, such as variable rainfall. Managing increasingly limited freshwater resources has become an urgent challenge for small island developing states as growing demand confronts more unpredictable weather patterns. The project will contribute to better health by the provision of clean water, reducing water-borne diseases. The project is a strategic priority for São Tomé and will be managed by the country’s power and water company Empresa de Água e Eletricidade (EMAE).

The project will substantially improve the level of service to existing users of the water distribution network, but also aims to connect a further 25,000 people, who currently do not have direct access. Households connected to the water network will no longer have to collect water elsewhere, freeing families – usually women and girls – from a time-consuming chore.

Access to clean water and sanitation (the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal 6) is recognised as fundamental to good health. Healthy people are more able to study and work, which in turn leads to higher productivity and economic growth.