Austria is known in East Africa for its expertise in water supply and sanitation. For years now, Austrian Development Cooperation (ADC) has been supporting the World Bank’s regional Water and Sanitation Programme there. In Uganda, Austria makes substantial contributions to implementing water supply and sanitation projects and has already chaired the Multi-Donor Coordination Committee in the water sector for a year (2006/2007). It is engaged in the water sector in Rwanda as well, though. A five-year assistance programme cofinanced together with the EU in an underprivileged rural region provides access for over 200,000 people to clean drinking water and sanitary facilities. This makes for a major improvement in the conditions of life.

Right to peace

Other ADC priorities in the sub-Saharan region are programmes and projects for reconciliation, ensuring peace and human security and promoting democracy. Together with other donors, Austria supports programmes to strengthen civil society. Educational and information campaigns on basic and women’s rights help to advance popular participation in policymaking. In conflict regions such as North Uganda, refugees and child soldiers are assisted in reintegrating into their villages.

Help towards self-help

Special attention is paid in East Africa to promoting decentralisation and regionalisation. Advice and backstopping in building professional capabilities for district administration and development establishes operational institutions at the equivalent of district or municipal level for long-term autonomy. A case in point is Austrian assistance in Ethiopia, which promotes localised capacity development in health care and food security. This enables these institutions to run programmes and projects on their own in the medium to long term, a major step towards sustainable development cooperation.

ADC in East Africa concentrates on the priority countries Ethiopia and Uganda.