Water And Sanitation Trust Fund

The Trust Fund Strategic Plan approved in 2003 and the Mid-Term Strategic and Institutional Plan of UN-HABITAT and the mid-term review of the Water and Sanitation Trust Fund programme have guided development of a strategic plan for the Trust Fund for 2008-2012. The strategy presents the overall framework for the development and implementation of the Fund and exploits the advantages of using a programmatic mechanism such as a Trust Fund to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of international response to overcome some of the challenges to meet the water and sanitation related MDG targets at the country level.  A key element in development of the strategy has been the continual dialogue on water and sanitation established in partner countries with a wide range of participants, including national, provincial and local governments, as well as implementing agencies, external financing institutions, civil society organizations, and utilities and communities. The close engagement of these parties, encompassing on–the-ground implementation of innovative approaches and national and sub-national policy formulation, made possible by the trust-fund supported activities of the last three years, has resulted in a forward-looking strategy that articulates, and is responsive to, real needs in partner countries. The proposed forward-looking strategy for the 2008-2012 periods will focus on consolidation of activities and modest expansion. The specific objective of the trust fund is:To promote, facilitate and demonstrate a hospitable environment for increased access to affordable WATSAN services and related infrastructure by the urban poor in partner countries.The programme will mainly focus on four areas:

• Delivering sustainable services for the poor
• Ensuring synergy between the artificial and natural environment
• Monitoring the MDGs and beyond
• Integrating Infrastructure and housing

These areas will enable the UN-HABITAT Water and Sanitation Trust Fund to support delivery of widely recognized mandates while fulfilling the overall goal of sustainable urbanization in The Habitat Agenda, recently articulated in the agency's mid-term plan new framework.