- The Water Financing Partnership Facility contributes to expanding access to improved water and sanitation services, improving the management of water resources, promoting gender equality, contributing to environmental sustainability, building climate change resilience, and promoting greater food security.
- The Water Financing Partnership Facility's contributions have supported 113 ADB investment projects in 20 countries, with a cumulative $9.45 billion in water investments benefiting an expected 122.1 million people.
- WFPF allows ADB to do business as unusual. It contributes resources to support innovations as well as funds to do better project preparation resulting in higher quality output to support more inclusive, sustainable, and resilient water sector developments in Asia and the Pacific.
The Water Financing Partnership Facility (WFPF) was established in November 2006 to support ADB’s Water Program 2006–2020. The program aimed to boost investment in the water sector in Asia and the Pacific, accelerate policy and institutional reforms, and build the capacity of water sector organizations. WFPF consists of three trust funds: (i) Multidonor Trust Fund with contributions from the governments of Austria, and Spain, (ii) Netherlands Trust Fund, and (iii) Sanitation Financing Partnership Trust Fund with contributions from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
Through the WFPF, ADB has been able to deliver more water investments with high development impact and demonstration value, improve governance, and strengthen the capacity of water institutions in the region. To date, WFPF's contributions have supported 113 ADB investment projects in 20 countries, with a cumulative $9.45 billion in water investments benefiting an expected 122.1 million people.
WFPF has directly contributed to expanding access to improved water and sanitation services, improving the management of water resources, promoting gender equality, contributing to environmental sustainability and reduced flood risk, building climate change resilience, and promoting greater food security.
Transcript
Asia and the Pacific are faced with significant challenges in water security and resilience.
Over 300 million people still don't have access to basic water supply and 1.14 billion lack access to safe sanitation.
Rapid urbanization and population growth contribute to a rising demand for water for food and energy production, putting additional pressure on an already water-stressed environment.
Add to that the constant scourge of typhoons, flooding and other natural hazards exacerbated by the impacts of climate change.
Neeta Pokhrel, Chief of Water Sector Group:
Water cuts across almost every single development sector including sanitation, agriculture, climate uncertainty, technology, and gender.
ADB's water sector portfolio of about $26.1 billion is implemented across 46 developing member countries in the region, benefiting the lives of an estimated 654 million people. But even this is just a fraction of the people that still need help in our region for water security and resilience.
Allison Woodruff, Principal Water Security Specialist:
WFPF allows ADB to do business as unusual. It contributes resources to support innovations as well as funds to do better project preparation resulting in higher quality output to support more inclusive, sustainable, and resilient water sector developments in Asia and the Pacific.
Yasmin Siddiqi, Director, Central and West Asia Department:
In 2019, I was able to access funds for ADB’s WFPF for Uzbekistan to help develop the country’s concept for national water resources management strategy. At that time, Uzbekistan didn’t have a policy framework for water resources management. Through that initial financing from WFPF, we were able to work with the Uzbek government and the Swiss Agency for Development Corporation in the actual approval and endorsement by the President of Uzbekistan of the country’s national water resources strategy. WFPF directly contributed to the country’s national policy framework.
Jiangfeng Zhang, Director, Southeast Asia Department:
In the agriculture, natural resources, and rural development sector, the key WFPF beneficiaries are the farmers. For example, in Cambodia or Lao PDR, many farmers are smallholders where land and water resources are scarce.
If we can provide them access to water on a regular basis and help them manage water on demand, they will be able to produce higher-quality, high value crops in stable quantities to meet market demand.
This would mean higher prices and higher income, more livelihood opportunities, and better education for their kids.
Jingmin Huang, Director, Pacific Urban Department:
WFPF funding has enabled us to become more agile and flexible in adapting the small-scale innovations in the country context of the Pacific Island countries. It has provided us with quick and timely funding and consultants support to meet the changing demands of our clients in the face of high uncertainties.
Tom Panella, Director, East Asia Department:
WFPF funding is incredibly important for ADB and my division in particular. But, for everyone in ADB, WFPF funds allow us to prepare projects to a much higher level of quality or implement projects much more effectively than would be possible otherwise. Those incremental WFPF funds of thousands of dollars allows us the ability to push the envelope and leverage hundreds of million dollars in loan financing for projects that are far more innovative, inclusive, and sustainable. They also help us address challenges such as climate change. These funds make a huge difference to our program.
Neeta Pokhrel, Chief of Water Sector Group:
We will continue to use WFPF resources to directly impact and leverage outcomes of ADB's water projects and programs. Aligned with the new Water Directional Guide under ADB's Strategy 2030, our focus will be on bridging the financing gap, building climate change resilience, promoting inclusiveness and gender equality, supporting circular economy, fostering innovation and digital transformation.
Neeta Pokhrel, Chief of Water Sector Group:
We have massive work ahead of us. But we can help each other move towards the goal of a water-secure and resilient Asia and the Pacific. We will achieve more if we work together.
