Committee on Development Ordinary meeting
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DEVE European Parliament
Follow its sittingsSpeaker 3
Last year was the deadliest year ever recorded for aid workers. Protecting civilians and protecting aid workers is more urgent than ever. Against this backdrop, the European Union will continue to provide principled needs-based humanitarian support to those most in need. We will also continue to support the central role of the United Nations in coordinating the international response to the crisis. This year, the EU's initial humanitarian budget was roughly €1,900,000,000, and you have already approved €325,000,000 of reinforcement from the emergency aid reserve in the past weeks, for which I'm very grateful.
Given the scale of the needs, we expect this amount will need to further increase during the year, and I count on your support for that. The EU and its member states as Team Europe continue to support the humanitarian reset and the broader UN 80 initiatives to strengthen the global humanitarian system. Honorable members, to address these challenges, the commission will present a new communication on humanitarian aid this spring, built around three key principles. First, respect for international humanitarian law. This is nonnegotiable, and it is a shared political responsibility.
It means putting protection at the heart of everything we do and continuing to support women and girls in humanitarian crisis. Our goal is simple, to turn these principles into real action that makes a difference on the ground. We will also support member states in developing the ICRC's global initiative to strengthen political commitment to international humanitarian law. A key part of the communication will also focus on humanitarian diplomacy. EU funding, diplomacy, and advocacy must work together to make sure lifesaving aid reaches who need it most.
Humanitarian crisis cannot be solved by humanitarians alone. This is simply not realistic. They need political engagement and diplomatic support. And that is why, together with HRVP KALAS, we are preparing a staff working document on EU humanitarian diplomacy to clarify the goals and the tools of this approach. My recent visit to the Great Lakes region is a good example of how humanitarian diplomacy can engage all parties and improve access to humanitarian aid.
Our second priority is improving efficiency and coordination. We need.
to work together, better reduce duplication, and make humanitarian action more effective. One key focus will be more strategic humanitarian supply chains. My services are leading the effort to reduce fragmentation and duplication, while empowering the role of local actors. Last December, the commission hosted the first high-level conference.
of the humanitarian leadership group on supply chains, and we were very encouraged by the strong support for its conclusions. And I count on your support on this process. Supply chains are also an important part of the humanitarian reset and UN 2030 initiatives, which aim to make humanitarian operations faster, more efficient, and better coordinated. And the third priority of our humanitarian communication is addressing fragility and its root causes. High levels of fragility are one of the main drivers of humanitarian needs, but also of political instability and economic insecurity.
Humanitarians cannot address these challenges alone. We need strong partnership across the humanitarian, development, peace nexus to build resilience, reduce aid dependency, and support long term stability. Together with commissioner Sickela and high representative Kallas, we are preparing a staff working document on the EU's integrated approach to fragility, which will be presented alongside the communication. Our approach will be comprehensive but tailored to each context, working closely with Team Europe, international financial institutions, and the private sector. Responding to the humanitarian crisis and rising fragility is not just an act of solidarity.
If we fail to act, the consequences are very clear: instability, radicalization, mass population displacement, cross-border health crisis, and economic disruption. And those consequences affect all of us, including in Europe. Honorable members, these are also challenging times for equality and women's rights. I want to reaffirm my commitment to the health and protection of women and girls in our humanitarian action, preventing and responding to gender-based violence, including conflict-related sexual violence, is life-saving work, and it is urgently needed. It will remain a core priority for the European Union as a humanitarian donor.
Thank you, and I'm looking forward to listening to you.
Charles Goerens
Thank you, commissioner. Before we proceed with questions from our coordinators, I will first give the floor to our committee standing up order for humanitarian affairs, our colleague, Leje Parkin, for two minutes, please.
Thank.
Speaker 5
You, Chairman. I'd like to welcome our commissioner again to this committee. We've had the opportunity to recently discuss these issues in the run up to the upcoming communications that you referred to. We think this communication is essential. Now with mister Fletcher this morning, we discussed the horrible humanitarian context in which we find ourselves.
It started first and foremost with a cut to the humanitarian aid, which was unprecedented by the United States, but other member states followed. And then this has continued with the development of a narrative which indicates that there were doubts about humanitarian aid players. And this is also called in the question the impact of humanitarian aid. Now the follow-up on this, and this is not new, then we had the attacks on humanitarian workers in a number of different areas. Then this has come hand in hand with the undermining of the human rights system and the humanitarian aid system.
So this is the context. This is where we are. And, again, I appreciate you being so clear when you discussed the need to defend humanitarian aid, that we need to have a humanitarian diplomacy. We've got to ensure that there is access to humanitarian aid that is sent by the European Union and that we need to strengthen the system within the United Nations, which for some would like to undermine. So, I thank you.
These are not always the types of things we hear from other commissioners. We think what you've said is essential. Now I want to put a question on the upcoming fragile infrastructures commission. You know that's a priority for us. Now if we could mention some of the key points of the upcoming communication, we'd appreciate that.
Perhaps you could say a few things about how we're going to guarantee that we do establish this nexus between humanitarian aid and peace, and development. Those three together, that's going to be an even more important link. Thank you.
Charles Goerens
Thank you so much. Now we move to the first round of questions by the coordinators of political groups for two minutes each. First is our colleague Esther Ras from the EPP.
Thank.
Speaker 6
you. Thank you, commissioner. I'd like to mention the new action plan on gender and the meeting that's going to be held at the time period '28 through '34. I think this is mainly going to look at gender violence and equal access to education and employment, all the different gender issues. But when we look at the evaluation of the past plan, we can see that we need to have clear, binding indicators and targets.
Also, then there's the question of financing, which was touched upon this morning. We need to increase the amounts of funds which aim to improve gender equality. We've made proposals along that line, and they should be intersectional in nature, cross-cutting, if you will. And I think perhaps you could guarantee us and reassure us that this is going to be a cross-cutting objective and priority for the European Union, and this will also then feed into the Global Gateway. And at the end of the day, that this action gender action plan, what would you have to say about that?
Now when it comes to reproduction and sexual health at all, and living through dignity in this context. Perhaps you could tell us more about how you intend to move forward on the initiatives there. What are going to be the main thrusts of this initiative? Will it improve access in emergency situations when we have crises, when you do have reproductive rights and sexual abuse cases? Then finally, when it comes to the LGBT community, we wonder what the new strategy will be there, how we're going to protect the rights there.
We see rights being eroded for that population group. How can we do the opposite and protect them? Particularly, this is relevant in some countries that would be candidates for enlargement. How can we work with them on these issues so that we can be certain that these do find their way into their priorities? And again, how do you make these gender issues cross-cutting across the board?
Speaker 9
Thank you. Thank you, Chair. Well, dear Commissioner Labib, every day we hear something you've mentioned today, that resources are being cut and that this future communication is going to be very important coming from the European Union on these issues. I think we've got to be crystal clear here. For whatever innovation we have in terms of financing.
Speaker 8
That can't be used as an alibi for inaction on the humanitarian front by the European Union. We've got to always look at the needs that are here. We'll never meet them in entirety. But how do you think that union, and particularly you in your role, how do you think that we can deal with the increasing use of private funds that don't really guarantee that this will move forward? Perhaps a road map is necessary, something that would make certain that we move towards humanitarian goals and peace.
But again, we see the fact that we've got to build sustainability into this system. Now, you've mentioned one of the first points here in your comments today. When it comes to violence against women, women being used as a weapon in war, the bodies of women as the battlefield of wars. So we wonder, is the Commission ready to move forward with moves to combat those who would violate human rights in this area? I think it's good that the EU has become aware of their responsibilities here, and then moving forward with the international courts to be involved in these efforts.
And then there's also another crisis which has not been mentioned, the fact that 15% of the budget is set aside for humanitarian aid that should be again dealing with this often forgotten crisis. So again, we see sometimes funding being shifted over to other priorities. But I do take note of the fact we have to have this minimum threshold. It's got to be something which is kept aside for our efforts in this area to help women. This is something that would undermine our credibility if we do otherwise.
György Hölvényi
BFE. Thank you, Charles. Madam Commissioner, I'm happy to see you here, of course, and thank you for the presentation. Thank you for the clear words. The situation is very serious, and the global humanitarian is under really heavy pressure.
This is really clear. And increased length of humanitarian emergencies resulted that the new children are spending more education in the, I would just say, the circle of the emergency settings. As the standing rapporteur for education, I shouldn't avoid it. For, I certainly hope that we, the human humanitarian communication, will reflect this, reflected underlying the potency, and will ensure that the funding of education emergencies will be a priority. We have to see that this is really average is more than 8 years they spend the kids in average.
This is really a school system. The pressure is the humidity, and work is not only the financial nature or response must adapt to the local circumstances as heavy sensitivity towards the cultural traditions of the local people. This is really my experience and this is really we have to be very extremely sensitive on it. This is the warranty of the credibility of our work on the spot, really free from any kind of ideological aspects. And the second to last one is really a remark.
There is no recommendation. There is a remark. The year ahead of us will be challenging because of the negotiations of the EU external action instrument, as you mentioned rightly. We see, maybe for me, but not only I think so, the unclear lines for the responsibility. And this is my fear, the conflicting agendas with limited funding, the opportunities.
It's very nice that everybody cooperate all together, but easily, the point of or the base of my experience, we cannot be sure that the other political priorities of the commission such as in the different region, the conflicts will not absorb the founding development cooperation of the humanitarian action. I don't see the guarantee of it. Easily can move the money from one basket or pot to the other. And what can you do, madam commissioner, to prevent decrease of the humanitarian funding? This is very clear.
And development cooperation in the UMFF, where can the parliament and this parliament is it me. And that's us, not me. It's not so important. Us, how can we help you on it? Thank you.
Charles Goerens
Thank you, Jorg. I give now the floor again to Commissioner Abib for the first reply. You have once again eight minutes.
Speaker 3
I will try my thank you for your very interesting question. First, the consequences of the cuts. It's not possible to give an overall figure. You know that Fletcher has, you know, led his campaign around 87,000,000 lives, and now he's shifting to one life at a time to save. You know?
But so far, we I just met him. I met him just after he came in the parliament. He told me that so far since the beginning of the year, they succeed to save 7,000,000 lives. That's something that is thanks to us, because we are the first contributors. So but to give you some details because it's also linked to the second question.
It's what we see clearly, it is that the funding shortfalls are forcing, for instance, WFP to sharply reduce the scale and coverage of its food assistance. We estimated 20,000,000 vulnerable people being dropped from programs or receiving reduced support. Health sector is also very really touched. Ultra was already alerting that 26,000,000 people were losing access to health care, and 65% of them are internally displaced people, so refugees. And this also came with important funding cuts to gender-based violence.
74% of beneficiaries losing access to health care are women and girls. So, as usual, unfortunately, the first victims of these funding cuts are women and children. Children, 40% lost in education in an emergency. So gender-based violence, 74% of beneficiaries losing access to health care and sexual reproductive health and rights. 11,000,000 lost access to SRH protection services.
So it's just to give you an overview. And when it comes to the protection of humanitarian workers, this will be one of our priorities. Protect. It is one of the title of the coming communication humanitarian communication. Yes.
It's very important because it has a lot of, let me see, because I prepared for you some answer because the communication is under drafting for the moment. So we are not ready, but it is only reaffirming at first of EU commitment to the protection of universal values. The humanitarian personnel are protected following IHL. It needs to be reminded. And the new strategic approach to humanitarian diplomacy where the EU better leverages its political, diplomatic, and humanitarian instrument to defend IHL and humanitarian access, because it is clear that nowadays access is weaponized.
It is problematic everywhere. It is the case in Ukraine. It's the case in Gaza. It is the case in nearly every conflict. We see that access is really weaponized by the different parties of the conflict, and this must stop.
And that's why I went to DRC and to meet all the parties of the funk the conflict to remind them that they have to respect international humanitarian law. So we are going also to develop and expand the EU funded that, you know, protect aid workers, the power mechanism into a global program. Honorable Tarakino, when it comes to the private sector, there has been a lot of talk, but less engagement, I have to say. But my ambition is to lead the engagement at the European level and to work with the private sector to understand what it will take to them to step up investment in fragile context. So I went to the World Economic Forum.
We had two events together in Unga, in the margin of Unga and in Davos, bringing together business leaders, humanitarians, and we will convene also at a conference in autumn. This will be the next step. And I've also agreed with the EIB, with Nadia Calvino, and the new UNDP administrator, Alexander De Croo, to jointly design new actions in fragile countries. And the work is underway to identify a concrete pipeline of projects. And, of course, we need the contribution of international financial institutions.
They will be key for stimulating private investment and, of course, a global gateway. And it's very important, and addressing fragility is not from my opinion, I am sure you share this opinion, in contradiction with long term development. If we invest in cooperation, in development, we will spare money in humanitarian aid, and especially it is true in a fragile context. Because otherwise, we are blocked in a very vicious circle where we just put, you know, some urgent needs, but we cannot, we don't allow the country to step up and to stand on their own two feet. When it comes, thank you, Esther, honorable Esther Faragaut, to allow me to jump into the other side of my portfolio.
You know, as commissioner for equality, I'm always paying attention that gender is a cross-cutting issue, is mainstreaming in every part of our policies, but also our budget. So, as I mentioned, the first victims of the cutting fence are women and children. We see everywhere in every conflict women's bodies used as weapon of war. Gender-based violence is massive. Rape is used as, yes, a weapon of war.
So we will, you can count on me to have specific attention. And when we are, you know, contributing to education, for instance, we are always paying attention that 50% of this education in emergency benefits women and girls. So all the projects that we are financing for education is 10% of our humanitarian aid. It's not enough. I mean, we need to work.
That's why we need to work with cooperation in development. And we pay attention that girls are included even in Afghanistan, for instance. And the same goes for LGBTIQ+ people. Their rights are indeed eroded. You're totally right.
I just came back from the CSW where you may know that The United States have put at the very last minute a resolution asking that gender is defined in a very, you know, traditional and minor manner, white and black. And so it's going to be voted on Thursday. But, yeah, we see the evolution of the this culture. But for us, it is very clear, and I had this conversation also with Tom Fleisher. We will not accept that diversity, equality, inclusivity is put in danger by US money, for instance.
So our humanitarian aid must be principled and needs-based. And no ideology, no religion, no whatever, no gender, no matter, we are delivering humanitarian aid to those in need, fine. And this is the only orientation that we have. It our humanitarian aid must stay impartial, neutral, and, yes, it leads to the other parts. Yes. We are still devoting 10% of our humanitarian aid to Yemen.
I think it's enough. I think I answer to the question. But we need to work hand in hand with cooperation and development to spare money, you know, to work in a more sustainable manner. And we had a very good conference on the supply chain to work all together because you know that 60 to 80% of our cost goes into the supply chain. And also, we need to put in place the nexus.
This is not a luxury. It is needed, and it is also because of the funding cuts.
Charles Goerens
Thank you. Thank you, commissioner. I'll go to the green. Eric Martin, you're not there? Do you want to take the floor?
Senior president.
Ana Miranda Paz
Thank you very much, Chair, Commissioner. Welcome, as always, to the development committee. One of the strong pillars is indeed in international humanitarian law, and it is now undermined more than ever before. 2025 has been a terrible year for the history of the law of humanitarian assistance. Not only have people been killed and assassinated, humanitarian workers have been killed, and there have been awful consequences across the world.
Just to mention some, let me focus on Gaza. The women or kids and children in Gaza haven't gone to school for the last two years. Programs financed by the EU have been destroyed. Now President Trump is attacking humanitarian aid in an irresponsible manner. International law and the legal protection we've had in the history of humanity to protect at least consensus for peace.
Well, there are allies such as president Van der Leyen here in Brussels who has also questioned international law. You have a different discourse, a course discourse that's different from hers. That is good, commissioner. However, the problem is that the leader of the commission is questioning international law, including international humanitarian law. And so we are really surprised to see a break in multilateralism and a break of consensuses that have been accepted across the world.
We have cyclical crises and increasing political difficulties, there are places that are often forgotten. Currently, Lebanon is being attacked. Ferociously, Iran is being attacked. Gaza has been forgotten, and the European Union should have stronger, firmer positions. We shouldn't be like, have showing the blindness that we see in Madam Van der Leyen.
I also would like to share solidarity with humanitarian workers in 2023, as I said, and even more so this year, we've lost places where they can work. They've lost possibilities to help in places where no one would normally help. And we need to remember these two, and that, of course, is in the future strategy. But on the one hand, we have the global gateway, and on the other, we have the possibilities of a new humanitarian plan. So, how can we reconcile this mission?
There's a difference with the president of the commission denying multilateralism and denying international humanitarian law.
Thank.
Marc Jongen
You, chair. I'm going to be speaking in German. Thank you, Commissioner Lebib. I have to say from the outset that it is surprising that you present the European Commission's position on gender as innovative. It's hardly neutral.
We have a very different position, but we can discuss that another day. I have a question on another matter. 3,200,000 people in Iran have fled to other countries. It's unclear whether they are going to stay in those countries. Observers have warned that a large number of these people will be heading to Europe.
They could, particularly, go to Germany because there are already large Iranian communities in our countries. So there is a risk here of huge movements of people, which will make what happened in 2015 look small. So looking at what is happening in Iran and Bahrain, and the attacks on water infrastructure. It's a really significant problem here, which could lead to a humanitarian disaster. Iran and the Gulf Region are not a focus of the work of the commission, or they haven't been up until this point.
Is this going to change? Are you having discussions to this end? Are there thoughts of a shift in focus? What are you thinking of doing in response to the number of refugees in the region, in particular with a focus on water provision? Thank you.
Speaker 13
Missus Sarasangios, sorry. I overlooked you. Yes. Yes. Madam Labibre is the commissioner for equality, preparedness, and crisis management.
So who do we contact when we say things are being violated? When we hear what's said by Van der Leyen, that we've really got to see that this is something of the past, but we've got to prepare for the future. So what happens also when we look at the extreme right members of the commission that you're part of? And what I'd like to say is that the feminist wars, they don't exist. We saw this with Iran, and we've seen this with Afghanistan.
Speaker 14
We are now seeing this with Iran. Imperialistic wars are always opposed to feminism, not just in the West. We've got Israel, the EU, and the United States. They're not going to save women here. They're killing women.
Speaker 13
They're killing women right now. We see this happen in Palestine and Lebanon and Iran and the school of children that were murdered in Iran. The hundreds of women that have been killed in the last days in Lebanon. The 12,000 Palestinian women who have been killed in the last few years in Palestine. And we see that hundreds of thousands have been moved.
This has all been over the bodies of dead women. We see this extermination. No one really puts their finger and points this out. It's always the reproductive and sexual rights of women that we discuss. Palestinian women are giving birth in the streets in Palestine, while hospitals are being bombed.
I mean, if you're going to have, right? You've got to have this basic infrastructure if you're actually respecting women. So this then is something which really flies in the face of women. Who cares about women? Well, only when they're useful to colonial interests.
Speaker 14
I mean that's old school thinking to see women as basically being second class citizens in colonies who put their entities without their own entity or their own voices, and more and more violence, more and more inequality. Then we ask for humanitarian aid. Look at the Saharan Sahawi women. Look what happened in 1997 in the European Union there. We gave 17,000,000 then.
Now it's just down to 6,000,000. Perhaps you could explain that about the Saharan people. So what's the point if on the one hand you're going to have financing for this, and then you've got the EU continuing to finance that, but also financing the bombs which are killing people such as Telanese and Palestine. Then we can look at Sudan. Can look at Cuba.
We can look at the Congo. We can look at Latin America. Women are the first to suffer from this criminal alliance, and the EU is part of this with Israel and the United States. This is the main threat to humanity as a whole at this point in time. Well, thank you.
Charles Goerens
I'd like to put a couple of questions as well to the commissioner on my own behalf. The first is about Gaza. Now once the war is over, I hope that there would be a place for humanitarian aid from Europe in Gaza. Who is your contact point in Gaza? Are you going via Trump?
I mean, he's got his board of peace covering Gaza. Or is it the Palestinian Authority you'll be dealing with? I mean, you've got to have a partner there. That's important to know who that partner will be, I mean, to make certain that ECODA has worked properly. A second point, the European consensus on humanitarian aid.
Every fifteen years, we renegotiate a new agreement on the European consensus for humanitarian aid. Isn't it now the time, isn't the time now, right, to think about that and to begin with the European Council to discuss that, to look at the possibilities to negotiate a new agreement? Now I look at my colleagues. I would suggest that we do take the final questions that would be posed, and then we'll have eight, 10 minutes that we can give to the commissioner to reply. We have double men.
Anyone else who would like the floor? Liberal men? Yeah. Okay. Got it very briefly.
One minute each.
Udo Bullmann
That, my party group fully shares the worries about people in need to flee the wars in the Middle East. And we would like to remember everybody that it never was that worse as it is now with Trump, but this is not the first time that Netanyahu and the US administration have caused people to flee. And I would like to encourage the commission to take a clear position on what is going on here, because that is dearly needed. Madam, commissioner, thanks for being with us. Two issues, additionally.
Tom Fletcher provided us with the numbers we know about them. He said it's completely complicated to collect the money, but he also said it's even more complicated to recreate the reimagination of humanity as a global good and as a global endeavor that unites us with our compassion, all the stakeholders. He is totally right, I guess. And I wish you luck that in your communication, you will be able to contribute to that. And the very last question, that is about policy coherence and policy coordination.
The European Commission tries to negotiate trade agreements with the Gulf states. With Gulf states that involve and invest themselves in wars and civil wars in Africa. I very much would wish I do not want to bring you in a difficult position in the communication with our committee, but I would very much wish that the European Commission was able to develop a holistic, policy coherent position in dealing with the Gulf States in this respect.
Speaker 19
Chair, commissioner. I would like to talk about a future problem. That is the performance regulation, which threatens to reduce everything to outputs. I'd like to warn about three risks. First, in compatibility where it belongs, so that's development in the cohesion funds.
Speaker 21
Second, the output priority moves the focus away from innovation, which is where we need it. And thirdly, the parliamentary power is weakened through the approach to delegated acts. So how are you ensuring that in crisis management, milestones will still be in place for key projects relating to integrated tool fragility? And another point which you referred to, what priorities will the commission be setting for crises in the future, given the limited resources, and how are you assuring that these decisions are not politicized? Thank you.
Speaker 20
Yes. Thank you, dear Charles, and welcome, madam Commissioner, to the DAVID Committee. Always a pleasure having you here. Congratulations on the big achievement with My Voice, My Choice, putting it into the commission's priorities, and also stating that abortion is part of European health care. On that note, I would like to ask you about your maybe most important findings that you came home with from New York.
I know it's not related directly to the humanitarian law and humanitarian aid, but still, if you would like to enlighten us a little bit and tell us what are the most important findings and observations that you come home with from your latest visit participation in New York in the women's conference? And my other question was actually a little bit maybe contrary to Mr. My colleague from S and D and how we are going to make sure that we have stable relations with some parts of the Gulf States, because we know that they have a lot of access to many of the countries that are in dire need. And also, they are very important hubs for humanitarian aid at the moment. And how is that working at the moment because they are under attack?
And how can we see what has been done? Is there anything that we can be done so they can maintain, you know, providing humanitarian aid and that these hubs are not affected? Thank you.
Well,
Charles Goerens
Dear commissioner, I can give you just the same amount of time for a longer list of questions. You have 10 now to reply to all these very pertinent questions, indeed, that have been put to you. Yes, thank you. Yes, thank you. And including the final comments.
Speaker 3
Yes, I'll reply in French. Let's see now. Miranda Filigos. Miranda Pass. Sorry.
I've got the names a bit mixed up here. I apologize. Morando Paz. Now you know things are quite shaken at present. Sometimes we seem to be losing our bearings.
What's clear is that the old world order is evaporating, and what's coming? Well, good question. I share your frustration. Seeing some call into question international law and the rules underpinning humanitarian law, well, when it comes to my 2¢ worth, I don't think we should throw the baby out with the bathwater here. There are principles that have been established that do protect humanity, and we share those.
It's what really unites us as human beings, and they also aim to protect our dignity, our very humanity, even in times of war. Even during times of war, there are rules. There are conventions that must be respected, and most countries in the world are signatories, and we've got to strengthen that. Perhaps the system is not working as the UN system should at present. It needs reform.
It's an ongoing process. We do strongly support multilateralism in any case. We believe in it. And I can say that when I take the floor, I represent the European Commission. I'm a member of the College, and there are different points of view.
There are different opinions, if you will. But when we take the floor, we speak on behalf of the College. Honorable.
Concerns. When it comes to the 3.2 million potential refugees who fled Iran. For the moment, they are internally displaced, the majority of them. So it put pressure on the borders, Turkey and others, but they are all partners when it comes to migration, as you know, and we are monitoring the situation over there. And that's why we are well aware of the pressure and the unprecedented needs that this war has created.
That's why I announced yesterday that we will step up our humanitarian contribution, nearly 1.5 billion dollars, 458,000,000. And, again, it's for the whole region, because the impact is for the whole region. It's for Lebanon. It's for Gaza. It's for Syria.
It's for Egypt. I mean, even if we are not active in Iran with a very little budget, I think it's 6,000,000 something. Afghan refugees. It's for Afghan refugees, you know, that are already in Iran and in a very dramatic situation because they don't have a status and are really, yes, more vulnerable than the Iranians themselves because they are not in their country. Honorable Sierra Sanchez, I agree that the prejudice is immense for women, and especially women in a condition of maternity, especially in Gaza.
And that's why yesterday, I went to the FAC, the Foreign Affairs Council, where I requested the minister of foreign affairs of the twenty seventh to use the leverage to lift the blockages of the humanitarian access for Gaza. So far, only Karem Shalom is open, which is not what has been agreed on the '20 peace plan. We are not part of it, but we are monitoring the situation, and we want to have an unimpeded access for humanitarian aid. So far, we know that more than 2,000,000 people are in need, immense need, and we don't have access. So this is my plea since the beginning of the war, unfortunately, but we are well aware that behind the war in Iran and in Lebanon, there is another war.
It is in Gaza where we see the situation only worsening. And that's why also I announced a highest contribution for our humanitarian aid. And then I also go to your question,
But you need to go back and have some historical perspective on these matters. The European Union of the twenty seven had requested that there be a neutral government of civil servants, technocratic representation for the people there, and we continue to contribute to finance reforms in that area. Now today we have Mohamad Mostafa, who is the representative of Gaza, but it's never been received by the board of peace. Well, there we've got a problem already. That means that the Palestinian authority in this case, West Bank then, is not being consulted on solutions which are being negotiated around that board of peace entity.
A commissioner was sent. It's true. But this was more in a spirit of a listening campaign and then to report back on what was decided. I think that is very important for us to have the right negotiator around the table for us, someone who will be in a position to represent in a credible way the Palestinians, and then also to implement the two-state solution. That's still the solution.
That's still the only one that is credible, and the one that we defend within the European Union. Now if we wanna go back to the European consensus on humanitarian aid because it hasn't been reviewed and negotiate a new pact. Well, why not? But I think that there's a lot of work already ongoing. The UN UNAT, that's the humanitarian aid reset.
We're part of that process as well. We're committed there, and we've got the commission on humanitarian or the communication on humanitarian aid, and mentions the fragile situation faced by many countries. And then also looking at the issues of localization, helping countries to develop their own resources to have cash assistance, to try and make the supply chains more streamlined with fewer players. Well, I think we've got to conclude that work first. That's the rest.
And then we look at how we can have a reviewed of the European consensus. I know you'll be involved and you'll be in the loop on consultations regularly.
Bulman, yes, we are in total solidarity with the people fleeing the situation in the Middle East. Where is our humanity? I think that I started to answer this question. It is something that we need to protect, and that's why IHL is not à la carte. International law is not you pick what please you, and you forget the rules that are not comfortable for you.
So that's why you can count on me to be a very strong voice. That's what I said yesterday. You can see it. It's public in my intervention in the Foreign Affairs Council and in the doorstep. And so when it comes to the Gulf States, we don't have cooperation when it comes to humanitarian aid in the Gulf States.
But what I'm sure of is that they are part of the solution of the problem. No. I mean, they are in the region. I remember because I was minister of foreign affairs before I was in contact with the minister of foreign affairs from Oman, he was really disappointed that the negotiation have been, you know, stopped and the war was launched. And so for us, I think that the EU must play a key role when it comes to the resumption of the negotiations, diplomatic negotiation.
I'm convinced that there is only one way to solve the problem in the region and to end the war is through the diplomatic solution. We are not going to find a way with the military, with the soldier, with the weapons, and Europe has certainly a key role to play. Yeah. When it comes to the project pilot for crisis, honorable and prioritization, you're right. We are facing many crises, and I'm not sure that I've understood all the details of your question.
Forgive me. But I think there are a lot of points, but it's the cohesion funds were about to link to the reconstruction, long-term reconstruction after a crisis. Me, it's only crisis management. And so I don't understand where you think that you can develop a private pilot project for a crisis. We have a strategy that we are sharing with maybe you can, I can give you back the floor because I didn't, I'm not sure I understand?
But when it comes to maybe you just want to underline that you will be part in the next MFF. You have, you are going to have more control because if we have this global Europe envelope where we will have a portion in humanitarian aid that we proposed 25,000,000,000, but the parliamentary scrutiny would be even larger because you will have a say as much as we are above 10% of what it was planned. So it means that if we are facing a new crisis and we want to step up our contribution of more than 10% of the total allocated budget, then I will go back to you and ask your opinion and your vote. So, and within the six pillars, as I explained to you. So the scrutiny and the control of the parliament will be much stronger than it is now.
And Abir, dear honorable Abir Sahlani, what yeah. A lot of things, a lot of thoughts to exchange back to the CSW. There is a clear backlash stronger than it was last year. Unfortunately, for the first time, we have a negative vote. First, we were forced to put the text, the agreed conclusion, on vote, which didn't happen.
It's the 70th CSW. It never happened before that we had to vote on it. And, nevertheless, the US withdraws. They didn't vote in favor. But at the very last minute, they came back, you know, five minutes before the silent period, they request a resolution defining in a very minor manner gender.
So, yeah, it shows that we need to find new allies, and we have found new allies mainly in African countries. I will surprise you, but they are there and still looking at Europe as a cornerstone, as a beacon for equality and humanity as well. I think I have to go to the concluding remark. I'm sorry. So I will say thank you for sharing your insights on how we shape the EU's humanitarian priorities in the years ahead.
Across the humanitarian community, many are increasingly looking, as I said, to the European Union for leadership, stability, and predictability. As the other major donors scale back their support, Europe's responsibility in the humanitarian system continues to grow. To remain a credible and principled humanitarian leader, this responsibility must be reflected in the next multi-annual financial framework and in a strong global Europe instrument that matches today's humanitarian needs. We need an adequately resourced humanitarian budget and the flexibility to respond quickly and efficiently when new crises hit, because this is not only about funding humanitarian aid. It's about protecting Europe's credibility, or values, or security, or influence, and our commitment to multilateral cooperation. We count on the support of this house to make sure the next MFF gives us in our union the means to live up to this responsibility.
Thank you. Thank you so much.
Thank.
Charles Goerens
You, dear commissioner. As you can see, you have allies here with you. We are allies of the commission. We defend the same cause. Thank you for once again having shown to be willing to be with us, and I can but say that we are really looking forward to seeing you again, because we do have a lot to do.
Thank you also for your services. Just rest assured, we here are prepared to defend many issues that are sometimes difficult to defend for you. So we come to the end of this meeting. Thank you very much to all who have taken part.
Speaker 23
We'll have a two-minute break. And I'm certainly listening to what I've been told, as I do at home. Thank you.
Speaker 1
Together with these countries, we designed programs that address the root causes of poverty and migration. Such as food security, unemployment, and climate change. We also make sure to empower countries to implement the programs themselves to ensure interventions are actually carried out and more sustainable.
And in this way, eFAD has provided over €25,000,000,000 of financing that we monitor closely, and that we know is highly effective in terms of impact. 50% of our core contributions are from European countries, our funding is not only dependent on member states. Also, thanks to our AA plus rating, we are able to issue more than €1,000,000,000 worth of bonds. And we are also able to reinvest the long repayments we receive and attract co-financing for many of our programs.
But the EU has been a partner of eFAT for nearly half a century and is today the largest contributor to eFAT's supplementary funds with approximately 350 million and twenty-two projects ongoing. We share the same ambitions to develop food security, employment, climate resilience, and private sector activity in developing and rural economies. And when we look at the European Union's water resilience strategy, we also recognize the themes and priorities.
Your strategy aims to restore and protect the water cycle from source to sea. You've recognized the need to upgrade infrastructure and prepare for more water-related disasters. The methods you are implementing in Europe are like those we apply in emerging economies and countries. Improving water retention on land while ensuring clean water is available, affordable for all, and used wisely.
With that, become more resilient. You have the expertise and the ambition to promote water resilience worldwide, and this is an area where the interest of the EU, of IFAD, and the UE UN water converge.
Economic development relies upon access to reliable supplies of clean water. And that's as true here as in low and middle income countries.
Erik Marquardt
Without sufficient water, can you slow down a little bit? Interpreters have said that it's a little bit too fast. But, yeah, but sorry. I mean, like, just a little bit slower and then everything's easier to interpret.
Speaker 1
Translation works. Yeah. Thanks. As I mentioned, economic development relies upon access to reliable supplies of clean water, and that's just true here as in low- and middle-income countries. Without sufficient water, there can be no food security, no rural prosperity, and no long term climate resilience.
Is it okay? Yeah. This is particularly true in rural areas where IFAT is active. And where agriculture remains the primary source of livelihoods of billions of people. Small scale farmers produce roughly one third of the world's food, yet they are among the most exposed to water scarcity, droughts, floods, and climate change.
Today, the world is facing a rapidly intensifying water crisis, as you know, or most of you probably know. In 2030, global demand for water is expected to exceed supply by 40%. That is why investing in water is crucial. It means investing in stability, poverty reduction, and resilience.
EFAD has nearly $3,000,000,000 in ongoing investments in rural water solutions. There are three priorities that guide our approach: First, we must scale up sustainable irrigation and water efficiency. Many developing countries still rely heavily on rain agriculture, making them increasingly vulnerable to climate shocks. We prioritize climate-smart irrigation systems. These systems allow farmers to produce more food with less water, and simultaneously reduce environmental pressures.
The second priority is water resilience, requiring investments in ecosystems. We know that protecting watersheds, restoring degraded landscapes, and improving soil health are critical for ensuring that water remains available. In the future.
That is why IFAT increasingly integrates nature-based solutions into its water investment. Investment. Thirdly, water management requires strong institutions and governance. Water is a shared resource. And coming from The Netherlands, myself, I know firsthand that managing water is not only a technical challenge, but also involves economic, social, and political considerations.
This is why IFAT invests in strengthening local institutions such as water user associations, cooperatives, and other community-based resource management to ensure that all these aspects are considered. Cross-cutting theme through these is the role of technology.
There are considerable new opportunities offered by new technologies, and I don't mean just solar-powered pumps. In the MeCom Delta, for instance, in Vietnam, EFA partnered with technology companies to deploy digital monitoring systems, allowing farmers to track salinity levels through mobile apps. Today, more than 11,000 farmers can use these tools to protect their crops and adapt their irrigation practices. We are also expanding the use of satellite data and earth observation technologies to improve water planning and climate adaptation investments.
In all our solutions, we try to integrate science, technology, local knowledge, and global insights research to provide innovation that helps farmers produce more and sustainably while using fewer resources. Including, of course, water.
To achieve global wide-scale water security, we'll need global cooperation. There's an estimated global shortfall in financing for water infrastructure of up to $664 billion a year. To close this gap, we'll need much stronger multilateral leadership and deeper collaboration between development institutions.
As chair of UN Water, EFAD's president is working to strengthen coordination across the UN system and accelerate progress towards Sustainable Development Goal 6. The EU's water resilience agenda is a model our president would like to promote in the lead up to the UN Water Conference 2026. And more broadly, within the global policy dialogue on water.
We need to discuss water taking into account linkages with food systems and climate adaptation, as the EU Water Resilience Strategy does. Your integrated approach spans policy dialogue, basin level governance, and local action. This is a very strong framework for strengthening sound water resource management, while supporting innovative and resilient economies.
At IFAT, we see ourselves as a strategic partner for this agenda because we can attract and leverage financial resources, technical knowledge, private sector and integrate that with our long standing experience on the ground.
We have further developed our public-private producer partnership, which brings together governments, companies, and pharma organizations to co-invest in sustainable agricultural value chains and water infrastructure. These partnerships have shown us that private sector engagement increases impact by 4 times. And that water resilience can both speed development and be financially viable.
But we are very clear about that, we must remember that water is a public good and a foundation for sustainable development. Finally, we look forward to continue work with the European Union, development partners and other stakeholders to work on this, because investing in water resilience today is ultimately an investment in global stability, food security and shared prosperity.
Thank you.
Erik Marquardt
Yes. Thanks a lot. Before we come to the next kind of external speaker, I would like to give the floor again to Hildegard Bentele for her remarks, and then we come to Lehuluca Orlando for the Affid Committee who has another important appointment in fifteen minutes, but then you can make your remarks.
So Heligaert.
Speaker 25
Yes. Just to put our discussion today in the hearing a little bit in the context, we do not have only water conference upcoming at the end of the year. We have World Water Day next Sunday.
For all those who don't know, but as it was mentioned, the data we received about the state of water security is alarming. We heard it this morning when the joint DAVE Envy report on the implementation of the sustainable development goals was discussed. SDG six on access to water and sanitation is one of the worst performing SDGs.
The EU and its member states are among the top donors in the water sector. But in light of the ongoing aid cuts and the huge size of the investment gap you were just mentioning, we also need to think beyond order.
Harnessing the global gateway, what I invested myself in the last month, the role of the private sector actors and international technical cooperation is one important aspect here. The report we recently adopted in the DEVA and AFET Committee on Global Gateways stresses that growing water insecurity is starting to pose a major threat to economic growth perspectives, and calls for the systematic integration of a blue dimension in the global gateway investments.
The EU and its member states can also play an important role at the UN Water Conference coming up in December 2026, pushing for an ambitious outcome. It is encouraging that four EU member states are involved in the preparations of the conference as chair of the Interactive Dialogues, which is Finland, France, Germany and Spain.
So, and with this, having said this, before we go to the other different of the main challenges, I would like to give you the floor, dear colleague Orlando, for your intervention since you have to leave.
Earlier.
Thanks a lot.
Leoluca Orlando
First of all, I wish to say thank you to the David Commission Committee for giving me the opportunity to give some information about the report on translational governance on water in the interest of conflict provision and peace. And I think it's really interesting and relevant that it is a final of commission for affairs. This is not a topic that always occupies the center of our political debate.
Especially in these times of war and the geopolitical crisis. But that does not make it any less important. On the contrary, it makes it even more urgent. Water governance is not peripheral in conflict prevention. It is central to it.
Water is essential for life. Access to safe water is a human right and the prerequisite for stability and peace. Today, however, this right is under increasing pressure over the exploitation, pollution, rapid population growth, and the accelerating effects of climate change are causing extreme water scarcity in many areas of the world.
At the same time, the conflicts and political instability are restricting access to water, putting this right under increasing pressure. Let us consider the effects. More than half of the planet fresh water resources across national borders.
More than 150 countries share transboundary river basins, but assessment and management of this shared resource is often insufficiently regulated. It means cows in many cases. And where agreements exist, water can become a source of cooperation, of prosperity, and stability.
When institutions are weak, when the populations are in internal conflict, the lack of regulation of access to and control of water can instead be an accelerator of crisis and corrupting new crises, inequalities, and migration.
And it is exactly the reality. Water management is therefore not only a technical and environmental issue, a strategic and geopolitical one. In this context, the European Union is both an opportunity and responsibility to act, strengthening international water governance, means investing in long-term and effective corporate prevention.
The report we have drawing up puts forward some concrete and constructive proposals for action, which we hope will be worthy to support. And we will give to this commission all the necessary information to be able just to check to control our work in the effort.
Thanks a lot.
Erik Marquardt
Thank you so much, Leo Luka. I yeah. Good that we hear opinions. Unfortunately, you have to go, but you can listen to the next speaker. You still have ten minutes.
So, thanks a lot. And our next speaker is mister Timothy Cargill, vice president for the international development at the ZUES Group. We look forward to hearing from you to understand the perspective of the EU private sector and how it can contribute to SDG six in light of discussions about leveraging investment for water infrastructure under Global Gateway. What are your concrete experiences in partner countries? Mister Karga.
Speaker 28
Okay. Thank you very much. I'll try to speak slowly. So do not hesitate to slow me down.
Maybe to start and just to introduce who we are as well as what it is. SUEZ is a French corporation, a French group, which is probably one of the oldest in the world in terms of water management.
We've been incorporated 165 years ago, we've got a long lasting experience in our water and waste management. Today, obviously, we'll talk about water. I would say that, first of all, our experience in Water Management started in Africa. So we are a truly international company. We have always been working all over the world.
We started by the Suez Canal. Probably among the first PPPs in the world. And we are, I'll try to go straight to the point. What can we bring to this commission today? As I was saying, we are very much exposed to public-private partnership. So we work with the public authorities.
But we cannot do anything without public and private investment. So it goes in the direction of global gateway and blended finance type of project. We are present all over the world.
Or we were all over the world. It depends on the market. But we are today present in 45 countries. And we manage where we are, interesting probably for the commission. We are one of the only companies which is working in the whole spectrum of water.
We do consulting. We do design. We do implementation, co-construction and long-term operations. Which is very important. Not a construction company.
We're not a design office. We are covering the whole spectrum, and we do any type of water. So potable water, wastewater, industrial water, desanitized water. And we use a lot of where we are a bit different is that we try to stay ahead of the crowd by the excellency we're trying to deploy. It's not always the case, but we try to be in this range as much as we can.
And through the R and D, we do a lot of R and D. In order to be cost effective and to bring water to the population, which is our ultimate goal.
Obviously, so this is what we do. The main points that we need to answer your questions to address in order to be effective and where we can bring a difference, it's as I was saying, the long term partnership we're deploying in countries.
We not there to stay one year, two years. Most of the time, we deploy partnerships. And we stay for a generation in countries where we are. So it's a proof of success and good cooperation. So I think it's an example we can bring to and the lessons we can bring to the commission.
I give an example. There are countries where we are present since 40 50 years, mainly in Africa, where we are more present. To give an example, in Africa, we built, I think, 80% of the water treatment facilities in African cities. We built more than 500 plants over there, so we have huge experience. It's the same in other geographies, but not with the same scope.
So we've got this operational background and experience, which I think is very valuable. It's not the whole thing. We have a good experience, we have a good reputation. It's probably our greatest asset, and people are coming to see us because they know what we're doing. So we've got this long-term cooperation.
We've got it, it comes along with efficiency and performance in what we're trying to do. Not talking about Industrial Water, I don't think it's the core of the subject today or this side, but in sanitation and potable water, we do it for a lot of municipalities, sometimes government, and sometimes countries.
So I can go back after if we have time on the example of Senegal, where we manage the whole drinking water of Senegal. So means that we treat water for 10,000,000 inhabitants, seven days a week, twenty-four hours a day.
Whatever we do, we do it, as I was saying, with the municipalities, with the countries. It means that we don't take the control of what is a public good. But we enhance the performance of the water in order to get water to everybody. Obviously, we try to do the same with sanitation according to the urgency and the situation of each and every country. Whatever we do, we try to insist a lot on training.
What we have to do, the core of our business is to bring autonomy to the different water utilities or cities with which we are working. So we do a lot of training. We do a lot of on the job training, transfer of technology, transfer of know-how for the different utilities to be able to become autonomous and to replicate what we're trying to do hand in hand with the different authorities.
So you're gonna tell me all this is very nice. It's a fantastic story. But we cannot do anything without financing. And as we are working most of the time in developing countries, we need financing. So as we're talking about developing countries, finance is scarce.
Most of the time, unfortunately, people are not financing public goods, which are of extreme importance. But they prefer to go to energy or other activities, which are sometimes more lucrative.
Whereas we can see, as Mr. Aranda was saying, in the crisis we're knowing at the moment, water is becoming probably among the top, if it's not the first priority, in conflicts because if you don't have energy, it's a pity. If you don't have water, after a couple of days, it's a revolution.
People are migrating. People are dying. Diseases are spreading. So it's probably the top, top thing. So we need financing, and we believe that the only way to have in countries which are developing where finance is scarce, to have blended financing.
So countries can mobilize a bit of the budget. But what we are doing also, as well, and what's the difference also, is that we're trying to structure financing around the projects we're trying to develop. So we do it with public finance, private finance and financing coming from IFRS or entities like the European Union, the commission, the European Investment Bank and any IFAs, World Bank, IFC, AFD, EBRD.
We work with those institutions for decades. What it means is that we have got this expertise, ability to structure projects which are going to become effective, which are going to bring tangible result to the population, and which are going to strengthen a legal framework which we need to have in order to make our project viable. In order to do all that, it's a lot of preparation, you know, working on portable water schemes, water networks, sanitation. It needs a lot of study. In order to make a project bankable and viable.
Most of the time, we are working, as I was saying, in a PPP model with hybrid financing, which means that there is a public tender. And in order to have a credible public tender, you need to have a legal framework to do it.
Most of the developing countries don't have this experience. They don't have the framework. So they need to have advice. They need to do a feasibility study. They need to have legal advisers and so on.
And this costs money. This is where the global getaway and what the EU and the commission can bring is also technical advice, legal advice, and financing to frame all those markets. So it's something which is extremely important for us. There is another aspect which is extremely important in terms of financing.
That the different governments, municipalities, or public-private entities working in water need to have some subsidies or some specific type of financing, which are going to allow them to reduce the cost of the project and to reduce the pressure on the price of water.
In most of those countries, people cannot pay for their water, or it's something which is obviously socially extremely sensitive. So they need to find a way to build those capital intensive projects maintaining a price of water which is in our control. It's something that we can bring as well as with the experience I was talking about, but we cannot do it alone. We need to have entities which are ready to finance projects with a return on experience, which is return, sorry, on investment, which is not in accordance with what the pure private sector is looking at. So this is, again, the benefit of having blended finance and public-private partnership.
In order to make those projects flyable and effective. So I'm thinking a lot, but if I have to give an example, it would be we're in most of the African countries, Southeast Asian countries, and developing countries.
Senegal, as I was saying, is one because we're managing the water for the whole country. It's working extremely well. But with the commission and with the BRD and BIE, we are working in many African countries, being Ivory Coast, being Tunisia, being Egypt. Where we manage the wastewater of half of Cairo, which has 30,000,000 inhabitants. This water is treated, and with the R and D and the technology and the transfer of technology we bring, this water is reused.
So we keep or we avoid to have any extra pressure on the resource in order to have wastewater reused in agriculture, mainly in Cairo, in order to keep the whole environment not under pressure and keep a safe environment for everybody.
So many things to see. I think I'm already over time, but this is what we can bring, in a nutshell.
Erik Marquardt
No. You have the floor later on. So everything is fine. Thank you for the contribution. Very interesting.
We now move to the local civil society perspective. Missus Mathija, who is no. It's not remote, but is leading the water aid in Zambia. So you have an extensive cooperation program with Zambia. Covering agriculture and human development, as well as global gateway projects like the Lubito Corridor and the Nexus Energy and Water Program for Zambia.
What is your perspective on the effectiveness and coherence of the international support to your country, and the role local organizations can play?
Speaker 29
Thank you very much for the kind and for the opportunity to speak at this hearing today.
I'll start with just a little bit about WaterAid, and we are an international organization that was established in 1981 by the UK water industry with a mission to transform lives through sustainable and safe water, sanitation, as well as hygiene, and we're working in over 40 countries globally.
Our work is guided by a global strategy, and the strategy is delivered through a system strengthening approach focusing on four primary aims. First one, achieving universal access to sustainable services in selected geographical areas. Improving watchful public health, wash for climate, as well as wash financing, and we work at local, national, as well as global level.
We are very pleased, I would say, in terms of seeing the critical issue of water resilience gaining more attention in Brussels and across Europe. And I would like to also acknowledge the important role that the EU is playing in supporting water governance globally. Last year, it was pleasing to witness the launch of the EU water resilience, and we are definitely looking forward to seeing its full implementation, particularly the objective of ensuring clean, affordable water for all. Which aligns, of course, with the global development agenda 2030, the Africa water vision 2063, and from Zambia where I sit, the Zambia Water Investment Program.
My contribution today is going to share reflections on opportunities to accelerate safe water supply through multisectoral pathways in the EU's external strategies, and secondly, present entry points that the EU can leverage to support partner countries in closing financing gaps for safe water using Zambia as a case study.
Now earlier speakers have already mentioned, and it's not surprising that SDG 6 is one of the worst performing SDGs globally. Over the past decade, financing for water has consistently underperformed, leaving as many as 695,000,000 people still relying on limited or unsafe water sources.
We have also seen shifts in funding priorities within the sector as financing of small to medium-scale water supply infrastructure has decreased in favor of large-scale, mostly urban infrastructure, water resource management, and water digital innovation, among other emerging priorities reflecting the direction of the EU water resilience strategy. However, a small to medium infrastructure investment is still needed in developing as well as in humanitarian contexts.
Beyond the EU water resilience strategy, the role of water access must be recognized in other objectives, including the EU global health strategy. We can appreciate that strong health systems with quality service delivery and effective disease prevention need water.
In trade and economic investment, we recognize the need for water in agriculture, value chains, and the need to mitigate water-related environmental and social risks in industrial operations. As Global Gateway responds across the priorities of SDG six, it should intensify efforts to deliver on the commitment to achieve universal access to safe and affordable drinking water for all.
Coming into the partner countries, Zambia, where I'm sitting, has a national development plan that's the ACE NDP. Allocates 3,500,000,000 annually for water and sanitation. But actual spending is only half of this, at best. Which reflects the situation across the globe.
In Zambia, only 62% of the 19,700,000 population have at least basic access to water. In rural areas, which account for 51% of the population, those levels dropped to as low as 44%, according to the JMP data.
The country does face mounting climate risks, alongside public health threats, rapid urbanization as well as unplanned settlement, among other issues, in a rapid involving national, regional, continental, and, yes, global context.
Zambia, therefore, does present multiple investment entry points that can be leveraged to advance the agenda of increasing access to safe water. Maternal health: One third of health care facilities lack safe and reliable running water.
As WaterAid, we have been able to upgrade 91 facilities using multi-donor support. The result of that has been more safe deliveries with increased utilization of quality maternal health services.
Over seventy-six percent of births, or three in four births, if I can put that into context, in Sub Saharan are taking place in unsafe delivery rooms. If we come to Zambia, one of our partner districts, Monze, that we have supported, is nearing 100% coverage with added public investment from the constituency development fund.
And this week, I'm very proud that we've been able to launch the Time to Deliver campaign that advances this particular agenda, and that's just one example of the small incremental steps.
One community, one district at a time, one province, a country, and we can get there. Cholera elimination and control. Responding to the worst recent outbreak of cholera that killed as many as 164 people in Zambia in 2024, we partnered with the Lusaka Water Supply Company to install a piped water system in Sylvia Masebo community, which was a cholera hotspot that now reports zero cases of cholera.
A known simple and cost efficient solution. Climate adaptation. As the country continues to experience a drought and is still recovering from 2024, Nteme community that we supported remains water secure. With an integrated pipe system serving households, livestock needs, gardens, the local school, and the health care facility.
Increasing access to education, with the adoption of a free education policy, increasing enrollment also means increasing demand for water in schools, especially for girls' needs. With support from the EU delegation in Zambia, we modeled a safely managed water supply in 10 rural schools.
Completely redefining what standards should be. You can imagine bringing in flushable toilets and a piped water system to a community that has never known such kind of an intervention. And that's the type of transformation that we are working towards.
Strengthening service delivery as well through programs such as the NUSA that was mentioned, there are a lot of initiatives that are strengthening commercial utilities. Who continue to struggle with tariffs that are not cost reflective, high non revenue water, coupled with limited capacity, that undermines their financial viability.
Water operator partnerships such as the one that WaterAid has facilitated between Kafubu Water and Northumbrian Water are helping to develop locally led solutions informed by global expertise. Mitigating social and environmental risks, in Zambia, you will hear the new buzzword, which is the Lobito Corridor.
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