A total of 153 senior representatives from government, NGOs and utilities from 24 countries in West and Central Africa met in Dakar, Senegal, to establish specifically dedicated funding mechanisms that would work on the basis of commercial financing for water infrastructure. UN estimates are that global economic losses due to inadequate water, sanitation and hygiene amount to US$260 billion per year. As the sub-region with the worst access, West and Central Africa carries a significant portion of this burden. The meeting recommended the African Ministers’ Council on Water lead the innovative financing for the region’s WASH agenda to call upon governments to create enabling environments and build the sector’s capacity, including helping to connect the financial and WASH sectors.
