Economic aspects of drinking water supply and sanitation in Africa with particular reference to rural areas

This paper examines the economic issues that have constrained the progress in Africa during the International Drinking Water Supply and Sanitation Decade, with a view to proposing policies and strategies for the 1990s that can contribute to overcome these constraints. The first and second parts present the socio-economic background of the region at the start of the decade, and the plans drawn up by the countries to achieve objectives. The third part assesses the implementation rates in terms of populations to be covered annually and the corresponding investment requirements to achieve its objectives by 1990 or 2000. In the fourth part the actual performance over the period 1981-1988 is presented and is compared with the required implementation rates to achieve its objectives. The issues that have constrained progress in the rural areas in particular are analysed in the fifth part. The conclusions drawn and the appropriate recommended actions to improve performance in rural areas in the 1990s are presented in the sixth and seventh parts.