Talatona - The Representative of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) in Angola, Antero Almeida de Pina, said Tuesday that the country has achieved positive progress in recent years in terms of population served with basic services of 15.4 million people in 2012 to 23.9 million people in 2022.
When speaking at the round table on “Investments in Basic Sanitation Services - Challenges and Solutions”, held between the Ministry of Finance and UNICEF, he highlighted that these numbers mean an increase in the coverage rate of more than 50% in the same period
According to Unicef, there is still a long way to go to improve access to basic sanitation for the betterment of the population, especially in urban centers.
According to Antero de Pina, UNICEF Angola published, in 2023, an analysis of the financial challenges of the water, sanitation and hygiene sector as a way of contributing to the national reflection on the investments necessary to meet sanitation needs.
“This study highlighted the need to develop wastewater systems for more provinces and to increase the geographic distribution of funds allocated for sanitation, which continue to be centered in Luanda,” he said.
Along this path, by holding a workshop with the Ministry of Finance, environment and provincial government, water and sanitation companies, recommendations will be formulated for the next budget cycle and attracting investments with medium and long-term impacts.
He reaffirmed that UNICEF is committed to improving access for families and children to basic sanitation and significantly reducing the impact of diarrheal diseases and other consequences of poor hygiene and sanitation.
In turn, the secretary of State for Budget, Juciene Cristiane de Sousa, highlighted that the success of implementing projects linked to basic sanitation depends on the alignment of all actors involved in the process of preparing and executing this expenditure.
According to Juciene de Sousa, who spoke briefly in the opening speech of the round table on Financing for basic sanitation, held between the Ministry of Finance and UNICEF, highlighted that only with alignment of all sectors will it be possible to achieve tangible results for the population, from primary and basic health and to the country's development.
She stressed that the workshop is not only an opportunity for learning, but also for constructive dialogue, with the exchange of ideas between participants and innovative strategies aimed at improving the current system.
“By promoting open and effective collaboration we can follow the path to excellence in the management of public infrastructures, ensuring that resources are used more efficiently and responsibly”, she said.
The event analyzed the impact of government projects and programs for basic sanitation and hygiene, as well as discussing good national and international practices, promoting the collection of contributions and recommendations to improve the quality of expenditure and effectiveness of investments in sanitation and hygiene in Angola.
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