AFD provides funding for ADB Colombo water services programme

Agence Francaise de Developpement (AFD) is co-financing the $400m Asian Development Bank (ADB) Colombo water services programme with $101m.

In October 2012, ADB approved the Greater Colombo Water and Wastewater Management Improvement Investment Program as a multitranche financing facility to improve water and wastewater management services in greater Colombo. Multitranche financing facilities allow phased funding of individual projects when they are ready.

Approximately $300m equivalent was to be provided by ADB in four parts from 2012 to 2016, while the bank approved $84m for Project 1 and $88m for Project 2 in November 2012 and September 2013, respectively. Under tranche 2, the AFD financing will expand subprojects and ADB will administer the procurement and safeguards for the AFD loan.

ADB senior urban development specialist Mingyuan Fan said that the AFD loan will expand the water supply to towns east of the capital and reorganise current pumping and transmission arrangements in Colombo to save energy in the water supply system.

"This will improve the urban environment and quality for life for tens of thousands of residents in the greater Colombo area," Fan added.