Italian Cooperation in Water and Sanitation

As President of the G8, Italy to play a steering role on Water and Sanitation intervention in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) as it is tasked to revise the 2003 Evian Action Plan on Water and Sanitation. However, Italy is the least active in the Water and Sanitation (WSS) sector both globally and in Africa compared to the G7+EC, ranking last in the average annual disbursement to WSS in SSA with US$1.64 million. According to the OECD DAC Credit Reporting System, in 2006, the relatively higher commitment of US$3.9 million to WSS in SSA was not matched by any significant disbursements. Regarding the disbursements, this could be due to no investments made or because results were not reported. The reliability of Italy’s reporting system is questionable so these figures are at best indicative.

Only 14% of Italy’s bilateral ODA to the WSS sector went to Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). However, according to the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, SSA has been the main geographic focus of Italian bilateral ODA over the last few years. According to the OECD DAC donor profile (2008) on Italy, particular attention of Italian ODA is given to the Mediterranean and Middle East Region in the framework of the Barcelona Process (whereby Italy, France and Spain founded the Euro-Mediterranean Information System on the know-how in the water sector – EMWIS).

The priority sectors of Italian bilateral ODA are broadly those that concern the MDGs but more explicitly are reported as health and gender equality, and since 2008, rural and agricultural development and environmental protection. In a governmental report that forecasts investments and programmes for 2008, no mention is made of water and sanitation as a priority area. Moreover the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ annual reports (2003 – 2006) to Parliament on Italian ODA refer to 4 initiatives and action plans of the G8 as part of their description of the international framework for development cooperation, namely, the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria, the Africa Action Plan, the Geneva Plan for e-government, and Education For All. However, in the latest (2006) report to Parliament on Italian ODA, the water sector is mentioned as one of the main recipients of Italian ODA in SSA, although this could be due to the significant level of ODA directed to emergency relief activities, which often include water and sanitation activities. The OECD DAC donor profile (2008) on Italy reports that WSS activities are deeply intertwined in most operations and that water supply is often found as a subcomponent in food security initiatives. Nevertheless, without a distinctive cooperation policy on water, data from the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs are generally insufficient and inconsistent to determine whether the WSS sector is/was a main recipient of aid.

According to the OECD DAC Credit Reporting System and in terms of the average annual ODA disbursed to all sectors and on a global scale, the proportion going to the WSS sector is very small at 1%. Within the geographical area of SSA the proportion going to WSS is even less at 0.2%. In both instances, Italy ranks last out of the G7+EC.

Italian ODA disbursements to WSS in SSA have varied in their focus. In 2004, 67% was invested in large WSS systems, and 16% in both basic WSS and Water resources policy/administration and management. In 2005 a more pro-poor approach was adopted with 55% of disbursements to WSS in SSA going to basic WSS. Development projects promoting access to water as well as environmental sustainability also include the principles of partnership, at local and global levels, and the equitable sharing of water resources among stakeholders and across geographical and administrative boundaries. Furthermore, the Italy promotes the mainstreaming of women’s empowerment into its water projects (OECD DAC Secretariat and the World Water Council, 2008).

The majority of ODA goes through bilateral channels followed by multilateral, and multibilateral channels. In 2008, forecasts show ODA going to multilateral agencies that focus on gender issues, climate change and environmental protection, agricultural development and food security, and emergency relief. NGOs are also typically used for implementation in the WSS sector. Moreover, within the WSS sector, Italy is increasing its involvement in joint programmes and programme-orientated joint financing with other donors, in line with its adoption of the 2005 Paris Declaration, to enhance aid effectiveness and increase recipient government ownership of development projects (OECD DAC Secretariat and the World Water Council, 2008).