Health News
Austria to boost water and sanitation services in Asia
By DPA
Apr 28, 2008, 3:31 GMT

Manila - Austria will contribute 5 million dollars to a regional fund aimed at providing safe drinking water and sanitation services in impoverished areas in Asia and the Pacific, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) said Monday.

The Manila-based ADB said its Water Financing Partnership Facility (WFPF) focuses on substantial investment and reform and capacity development in rural and urban water services and river basin water management.

'By supporting the WFPF, our development partners directly help improve the lives of millions of people and make a significant contribution to achieving the Millennium Devlepment Goals,' Karen Decker, ADB senior financing partnerships specialist, said.

'The WFPF strengthens partnerships in the water sector among government, donors, civil society and the private sector at the project and country levels,' she added.

To date, the facility's actual and intended commitments include 19.8 million dollars from the Netherlands, 32 million dollars from Australia and about 5.5 million dollars from Norway, according to the ADB.