Nearly a decade after the Senator Paul Simon Water for the World Act of 2014 was signed into law, USAID continues to increase access to safe water, sanitation, and hygiene services and facilitate sound water resources management each year. In 2022, the U.S. government doubled down on its commitment to water, making several critical announcements that will further advance USAID's vision of a water-secure world.
In March, USAID sponsored the 9th World Water Forum, held in Dakar, Senegal.
On March 22, 2022 - World Water Day - USAID announced a new $1.2 billion commitment through 2024 to bolster sustainable water security and sanitation around the world. This is USAID's first multi-year commitment to water and sanitation funding.
USAID commits to supporting strong African leadership at the Dakar World Water Forum.
Also on World Water Day, USAID announced its 2022 Water Warriors - Marisel Allende, USAID/Peru, and Amanda Robertson, USAID/Kenya. Marisel and Amanda embody the very best of USAID's core values as they have successfully built lasting partnerships with government counterparts, partners, and communities, despite challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.
In June, Vice President Kamala Harris announced the White House's commitment to elevate water security as a foreign policy priority.
"This action plan will help our country prevent conflict and advance cooperation among nations, increase equity and economic growth, and make our world more inclusive and resilient."
USAID released the updated U.S. Global Water Strategy jointly with the U.S. Department of State in October.
And in November, USAID Deputy Administrator Coleman (pictured left) spoke alongside senior leaders from the Department of Defense, Department of State, and a bipartisan group of Members of Congress at a celebration on Capitol Hill.
The 2022 Global Water Strategy will guide the implementation of water security, sanitation, and hygiene programming across the U.S. Government agencies through 2027.
The Strategy advances four Strategic Objectives that will:
- Strengthen governance, finance, institutions, and markets
- Increase access to climate-resilient WASH
- Improve climate-resilient practices in water resources management
- Reduce conflict and fragility related to water
Review this summary to learn about USAID's commitment to a water-secure world, targets, and plan to achieve these objectives.
This past year, USAID invested in more cross-sectoral collaboration than ever before.
USAID's new 2022-2030 Climate Strategy, released in April, includes a focus on water security and climate adaptation by helping partner countries develop sustainable, climate-resilient water and sanitation services.
In May, USAID released a technical brief on Menstrual Health and Hygiene, which identifies key ways the WASH sector and others can contribute to safe, healthy, dignified menstruation.
In December, an updated U.S. Strategy to Prevent and Respond to Gender-Based Violence Globally was released. This Strategy includes a commitment to support comprehensive approaches to addressing gender-based violence, such as improving water security and safe sanitation and hygiene.
USAID committed to filling evidence gaps with the U.S. Global Water Strategy Action Research Initiative.
The U.S. Global Water Strategy Action Research Initiative is focused on actionable, policy-relevant implementation research that will have global relevance across USAID's partners, as well as for developing new partnerships with local organizations and stakeholders.
In the video below, USAID's URBAN WASH, REAL-Water, and WASHPaLS #2 teams launch the Action Research Initiative at the 2022 UNC Water and Health Conference.
In November, the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP 27) convened in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt.
During the conference, USAID announced the launch of its Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene Finance 2 (WASH-FIN 2) activity, which will mobilize $375 million to improve climate-resilient practices of water and sanitation service providers.
Throughout 2022, USAID launched flagship water sector activities in nine High Priority Countries.
Under the updated U.S. Global Water Strategy, USAID is doubling down on its commitment to increase access to sustainable water and sanitation in its High-Priority Countries. In 2022, USAID Missions in Guatemala, Indonesia, Kenya, Liberia, Mali, Mozambique, Nigeria, Tanzania, and Zambia launched innovative flagship activities, which combined will invest more than $270 million to expand access to services and improve water resources management.
Photo Credits
Header image: Theophile Harushyamagara, Water For People in Rwanda/USAID Isoko y’Ubuzima
Image 1: USAID/Global Waters CKM II
Image 2: Amanda Robertson, USAID/Kenya (left), Marisel Allende, USAID/Peru (right)
Image 3: Isobel Coleman, Deputy Administrator, USAID
Image 4: Inua Dada Foundation
Image 5: USAID WASH-FIN, Kenya
Image 6: Bobby Neptune, Winrock International