Australian grant of $7 million for water and sanitation
Australia is providing A$7.7 million (about US$7 million) to extend its development cooperation program with Bangladesh into the important water and sanitation sector.
The Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID) is providing the support to the Hygiene, Sanitation and Water Supply (HYSAWA) Fund, complementing existing funding from the Governments of Bangladesh and Denmark.
An arrangement detailing Australia’s support for HYSAWA was exchanged between Australia’s High Commissioner to Bangladesh, Dr Justin Lee, Denmark’s Charge d’Affaires Jan Moller Hansen, and the Chair of HYSAWA’s Governing Board, Mr Manzur Hossain, at a ceremony at the High Commissioner’s residence on 25 August 2010.
Secretary of the Economic Relations Division Md. Musharraf Hossain Bhuiyan, the Managing Director of HYSAWA, Dr Enamul Kabir, Denmark’s Ambassador-designate Svend Olling, and AusAID’s Dhaka head Ms Rachel Payne, were also in attendance.
Speaking at the ceremony Australia’s High Commissioner said, “Australia is very pleased to partner with the Governments of Bangladesh and Denmark on this critical project which is changing the lives of many in Bangladesh by giving them access to clean water and sanitation.”
Australian support is enabling the HYSAWA fund to extend its coverage from 513 to 553 Union Parishads, benefiting an additional 400,000 people in the Khulna, Bagerhat and Satkhira districts.
Australia’s new involvement in water and sanitation reflects an overall increase in the bilateral development cooperation program. Australia’s program in Bangladesh has doubled in size since 2006/07, reaching A$70 million in 2010/11. Bangladesh is currently the 8th largest bilateral recipient of Australian Government development assistance globally.
Australian High Commission, Dhaka
For further information please contact:
Senior Political & Economic Research Officer, AHC, Dhaka.
Tel: 8813105, E-mail: [email protected]