Griffith University supports the Sustainable Development Goals

Blended finance for WASH – development of diagnostic method, and application in Cambodia

Dr Regina Souter

Project Description

This project developed a methodology to identify the best strategies to finance (through blended finance) the delivery of water and sanitation services in developming countries. This was designed for use by Development Partners, such as the Australian Government.

Project Personnel and Beneficiaries

IWC staff (R. Souter), Lean Finance (Tkachenko), Australian Government Department foreign Affairs and Trade.
The project benefits people in developing countries – rural or urban – who currently do not have access the safe and reliable water (SDG6.1) and sanitation (SDG6.2), by helping donors/development partners identify how they can stimulate financial invesment in services. It also controbutes to SDG6 more broadly.

Outcomes to Date

The research product has been used by UNICEF to guide the Vietnam investment planning. The Cambodia assessment produced by the research is currently beuing used to guide investment discussions and planning in Cambodia. And the guide was used in Ghana to guide their investment planning. all investments are aiming to imprve water and sanitation services in their countries.

Project Significance

A lack of finance is one of the most siognificant barriers to the provision of water (SDG6.1) and sanitation (SDG6.2) services in developing countries. This project developed a methodology for Development Partners/Donors to identify whether blended finance (finance from multiple sources) can controbute to financing an increase in water and/or sanitation & hygiene services – this directly relates to SDG6. The method can be used in any developing country. The project also applied this methodology to Cambodia, to demonstrate and refine the method, and identified specific opportunities for blended financing in Cambodia.
the project also suports SDG3 (good health and wellbeing) – this is the primary reason for providing water and sanitation services and there is a direct link between access to water, sanitation and hygiene (SDG^) and health and wellbeing.
And SDG 13 – climate action, as all water and sanitation services now must be climate resilient – they must be adapted to climate change.
SDG14 – live under water, is also directly afftecting by SDG6.2 – sanitation as inadequate sanitation is a main driver of coastal pollution.
SDG17 relates to partnership for SDGs – blended finance is precisely new partnerships between financial and implementation partners.

Related Link

External link to https://www.watercentre.org/research/research-impacts/blended-finance-for-wash/

Co-authors
Dr Regina Souter
Project start
2021
Project end
2022
Academic area
International Water Centre
Project type
Project location
  • Nathan
Project geographical impact
  • International
Publication date
September 13, 2023
Last updated
9:01 am, November 27, 2023