WASHINGTON, April 18, 2025-The World Bank's Board of Executive Directors today approved $121 million in financing for the first phase of the Kyrgyz Republic Water Supply and Sanitation Universal Access Program. This project is cofinanced by a $50 million credit from the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB); a $20 million credit from the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) Fund; a $9 million grant from the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC); and a $3.75 million grant from AIIB. The project is part of a broader, multi-phase programmatic approach, with a $400 million financing envelope over the next decade, enabling the Kyrgyz government to provide universal access to and improve the sustainability of water supply and sanitation services across the country.
"The World Bank is a long-standing partner of the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic in supporting its vision of universal access to potable water and improved sanitation, aligned with its National Development Strategy," said Hugh Riddell, World Bank Group Country Manager. "Over the next decade, the program will provide access to clean water and sanitation to one million Kyrgyz citizens- directly improving quality of life, strengthening human capital, and boosting prosperity for generations to come."
The first phase of the program will improve the lives of over 450,000 people across 126 rural villages and small towns in the Chui, Issyk-Kul, and Osh regions. Most beneficiaries will gain access to piped water through new household connections, while 19,000 vulnerable people will benefit from enhanced sanitation facilities. Additionally, around 115,000 people-primarily children-will see direct benefits from upgrades to sanitation and hygiene facilities in schools and public institutions like health clinics. Institutional strengthening will support national and local governments by improving operational, financial, and service delivery capacity of water service providers. Ultimately, strengthened institutions will lead to better service delivery for all customers in the project areas.
Odete Duarte Muximpua, World Bank Senior Water Supply and Sanitation Specialist and Project Task Team Leader, emphasized the importance of partnership in advancing access to clean water: "This program exemplifies the power of collaboration, as key international partners come together to support the Kyrgyz Government in implementing its transformative development initiative. Through combined efforts, the World Bank, AIIB, OPEC Fund, and SDC are partnering with the Kyrgyz Government to bring clean water closer to the people."
The project will finance three key areas:
- Water Supply Investments that will focus on constructing and upgrading water supply systems, prioritizing energy-efficient technologies and resilient infrastructure. The investments will aim to increase access to potable water, enhance drought resilience, address climate impacts, and improve water distribution networks for greater efficiency and reliability.
- Sanitation Development that will target decentralized sanitation systems to improve access to sanitation in vulnerable communities, including the construction of resilient sanitation infrastructure in schools, kindergartens, health clinics, and vulnerable households, and enhancements to fecal sludge management to reduce environmental pollution.
- Performance-Based Service Improvement Program that will enhance the quality and efficiency of water supply services and provide performance-based grants to incentivize district water and sanitation providers to focus on operational efficiency, financial viability, and capacity building. The program will also include a vocational training initiative to build a skilled workforce in the water sector, promoting gender equity in training opportunities.
The financing for the first phase of the Kyrgyz Republic Water Supply and Sanitation Universal Access Program is provided through the International Development Association (IDA), the World Bank's concessional lending arm. The Project will be implemented by the State Institution of Drinking Water Supply and Wastewater Disposal under the Water Resources Service under the Ministry of Water Resources, Agriculture and Processing Industry through 2029, in compliance with strict international standards, including procurement, financial management regulations, and anti-corruption guidelines.
The overall mission of the World Bank Group is to end extreme poverty and promote shared prosperity on a livable planet. The Bank's program in the Kyrgyz Republic currently consists of 23 projects supporting the modernization and development of various sectors, with commitments of $1.2 billion.
