NEWS

The Board of Directors of the African Development Bank has approved $16.38 million in additional financing for the Borana Resilient Water Development for Improved Livelihoods Programme II, reinforcing Ethiopia’s drive to build climate-resilient infrastructure in Borana in the drought-prone Oromia region.

The approved financing comprises a $9.38 million grant from the Climate Action Window of the African Development Fund, the Bank Group’s concessional lending window, and $7 million from the Rome Process/Mattei Plan Financing Facility.

The new funding will support the deployment of solar-powered water systems and expand the existing water distribution network by nearly 95 kilometres, providing clean water to an additional 23,000 people and 50,000 livestock. The Borana population consists primarily of pastoral farmers who have endured severe hardships, including the loss of millions of livestock, due to recurring droughts.

“This additional financing marks a decisive step towards climate-proofing livelihoods in one of the most fragile ecosystems in the Horn of Africa,” said Mecuria Assefaw, the Bank Group Water Security and Sanitation Manager for the East and Southern regions.

The programme, executed by Ethiopia’s Ministry of Water and Energy, will also promote integrated watershed management, build local institutional capacity, and install household biogas units to reduce deforestation and emissions.

By improving water access, these interventions will help create jobs, enhance health and educational outcomes, and strengthen community resilience, particularly for women and youth.

“By harnessing renewable energy and empowering communities to manage their water resources, we are ensuring that resilience is not a concept on paper but a reality for families, farmers, and future generations,” Assefaw said.

The project is aligned with Ethiopia’s Ten-Year Development Plan 2021–2030 and the Bank’s Ethiopia Country Strategy Paper 2023-2027, which emphasizes quality and sustainable infrastructure development, including climate-smart innovations to increase resilience to extreme weather events such as drought, changing rainfall patterns and high temperatures.