According to the Bank’s website, the Urban Water Supply and Sanitation Project in Dollow, Qardho and South Galkayo is a sovereign operation financed through grants from the African Development Fund (ADF) and the Transition Support Facility (TSF), aimed at strengthening climate-resilient water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) services in three fragile urban centers of Somalia. The total project cost amounts to UA 19.833 million, of which UA 17.85 million is financed by the African Development Bank Group, comprising UA 6.8 million from ADF country allocation (PBA), UA 8.05 million from TSF Pillar I resources, and UA 3.0 million from the Somalia Infrastructure Fund (SIF) within TSF Pillar I, while the Federal Government of Somalia contributes UA 1.983 million in-kind. The project is implemented by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) under a Tripartite Funding and Implementation Agreement with the Federal Government of Somalia and the Bank.

The objective of the project is to improve access to safe, climate-resilient water supply, sanitation and hygiene services for urban populations in Dollow, Qardho and South Galkayo. The project will construct and rehabilitate water transmission and distribution networks, drill and rehabilitate boreholes, build water treatment plants, expand water storage capacity, establish water quality laboratories, and introduce solar-powered systems to enhance energy efficiency and climate resilience. It will also construct shared household latrines in internally displaced persons (IDP) camps and public areas, pilot decentralized wastewater treatment systems, and conduct hygiene promotion and menstrual health management campaigns. In parallel, the project will strengthen institutional capacity at federal and state levels by training water sector officials and utility staff, improving governance frameworks, and supporting the operational performance of local water utilities. Through these integrated interventions, the project seeks to reduce waterborne diseases, enhance climate resilience, strengthen water governance, promote gender equality and youth employment, and contribute to social stability in fragile contexts.

The project will directly benefit approximately 502,419 people across the three target towns, including large populations of internally displaced persons, host communities, households, businesses, students, farmers and livestock owners. It will particularly benefit vulnerable groups such as women and girls, who bear a disproportionate burden of water collection and sanitation insecurity, by reducing time spent fetching water, improving menstrual hygiene management facilities, and enhancing safety through gender-sensitive sanitation infrastructure. Youth will benefit from targeted skills development programs, with at least 200 young people trained in water and sanitation infrastructure and utility management, and temporary and permanent employment opportunities created during construction and operation phases. Indirect beneficiaries include local authorities, water utilities and communities that will experience improved public health outcomes, increased productivity, strengthened climate resilience and enhanced social cohesion through equitable access to essential WASH services.

Environmental Category: [2] Moderate Risk

The project is categorized as Category 2 (Moderate risk). In addition to the anticipated impacts, the project faces several moderate-level E&S risks that could affect implementation if not effectively managed:

Environmental Risks:
• Pollution and Contamination: Risk of soil and water contamination from accidental chemical/oil spills, construction runoff, or improper waste disposal.
• Resource Degradation: Risk of soil erosion and sedimentation of water bodies due to earthworks and vegetation clearance.
• Climate and Hydrological Risks: Drought, flooding, and extreme weather events may disrupt water supply systems and increase contamination risks.

Social Risks:
• Weak grievance redress capacity if GRCs are not fully operationalized, or insufficient grievance channels for workers.
• Labour and Working Conditions: Risk of workplace accidents and inadequate management of worker welfare, weak OHS practices, including the potential for Gender Based Violence (GBV) and harassment.
• Community Safety and Security: Risk of community disruption from temporary utility cuts or restricted access, and the long-term risk of pipeline vandalism or illegal connections.
• Grievance Redress: Risk of community dissatisfaction if grievances related to project activities are not addressed promptly and effectively through a structured mechanism.

The total project cost amounts to UA 19.833 million, of which UA 17.85 million is financed by the African Development Bank Group, comprising UA 6.8 million from ADF country allocation (PBA), UA 8.05 million from TSF Pillar I resources, and UA 3.0 million from the Somalia Infrastructure Fund (SIF) within TSF Pillar I, while the Federal Government of Somalia contributes UA 1.983 million in-kind.

Finance Type: Grant
Commitments (UA): 17,850,000
Conversion Rate USD (2026-02-25): 1,35728
Commitments (USD): 24,227,448

Name: John SIFUMA
Email: j.sifuma@afdb.org

ACCESS TO INFORMATION

You can submit an information request for project information at: https://www.afdb.org/en/disclosure-and-access-to-information/request-for-documents. Under the AfDBs Disclosure and Access to Information policy, if you feel the Bank has omitted to publish information or your request for information is unreasonably denied, you can file an appeal at https://www.afdb.org/en/disclosure-and-access-to-information/appeals-process.

ACCOUNTABILITY MECHANISM OF AfDB

The Independent Review Mechanism (IRM), which is administered by the Compliance Review and Mediation Unit (CRMU), is the independent complaint mechanism and fact-finding body for people who have been or are likely to be adversely affected by an African Development Bank (AfDB)-financed project. If you submit a complaint to the IRM, it may assist you by either seeking to address your problems by facilitating a dispute resolution dialogue between you and those implementing the project and/or investigating whether the AfDB complied with its policies to prevent environmental and social harms. You can submit a complaint electronically by emailing crmuinfo@afdb.org, b.kargougou@afdb.org, b.fall@afdb.org, and/or s.toure@afdb.org. You can learn more about the IRM and how to file a complaint at: https://www.afdb.org/en/independent-review-mechanism/