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Horn of Africa

Checklist for Climate-Resilient Rural Groundwater Supply Component 2: Enhanced institutional capacity
Investments:
for groundwater management
The Checklist has been applied to 114 sites during the design 3rd IGAD Water Forum in Addis Ababa: With support from CIWA
phase of groundwater schemes and consists of comprehensive and the GW4R program, the 3rd IGAD Water Forum was held
criteria on the climate resilience and sustainability of investments in May 2025. Over 100 participants convened and discussed
by ensuring system‑wide scheme designs that maximize value strategic regional priorities, validating emerging findings of ongoing
for money, ensure quality procurement, establish dedicated analytical work in the areas mentioned above. The platform
O&M arrangements, and embed sustainability by empowering provided sustained political buy-in for transboundary groundwater
communities and local governments instead of relying on NGOs. governance, critical to the achievement of GW4R results.
In collaboration with the UNDP, the World Bank team has visited
most of these sites together with the project implementation unit to With CIWA support, IGAD and the Untapping Resilience team
review implementation, build capacity, and generate knowledge and convened a fourth bi‑annual learning workshop, bringing
learning notes on how to apply the checklist. together national coordinators and project team members
from HoA states, IGAD, UNICEF, UNDP, and consulting firms.
Analyses of the groundwater drilling market for Ethiopia,
The event reviewed GW4R progress and learning and discussed
Kenya, and Somalia:
key challenges and opportunities for sustainable groundwater
In partnership with UNICEF, an analysis is underway to improve management and collaboration in the HoA. The workshop
understanding of the region’s well drilling market, which in turn supported alignment of Member State priorities and improved
will support GW4R to ensure more cost‑efficient, higher quality, mutual understanding of groundwater issues. In addition,
and sustainable groundwater resources. The study is close to biweekly National Focal Group meetings (involving the Ministry
completion and has involved private drilling firms, government of Water, Sanitation and Irrigation, Kenya; Water Resources
institutions, and NGOs from across Ethiopia, Kenya, and Somalia to Authority, Kenya; Ministry of Water and Energy, Ethiopia; and
gauge sector technical and management capacity. It reviews drilling Ministry of Water Resources and Energy, Somalia) have created
standard operating procedures and past projects to identify best a platform for continual technical exchange and monitoring of
practices, drilling risks, potential mitigations, and technical capacity progress during implementation.
gaps in the drilling sector. One recommendation is for stronger
contract management for robust oversight and accountability.
Implementation of planned works will create significant jobs in the NEXT STEPS
target rural HoA locations and enable local private sector participation
in development of scheme infrastructure and, contingent on interest,
The project team is compiling the analytical work applied in
their operation and management.
project design and implementation into a comprehensive report,
which includes the scope of all capacity‑building activities
Operational research on rural water supply services
and training events to transfer the generated knowledge to
management models in the HoA:
implementing World Bank units. Additional analytical work,
The research, conducted with all GW4R country teams, aims to applied knowledge, and capacity-building will continue under
define robust, country‑specific governance and O&M structures strategic areas relevant for the project implementation.
for sustainable rural water supply services across all GW4R
countries. This study examines factors driving success and failure of
different management models and why identical models work in some
settings but fail in others. Governance and O&M frameworks that
reflect the context and capacities of governments, communities, and
private service providers are being developed in collaboration with
national and local partners. The research is now in the final stages, with
sessions being held with each GW4R country to recommend specific
management models for individual water schemes.

Based on learning from the research, Kenya and Somalia are
exploring greater involvement of the local private sector and
utility-based management and O&M of schemes in rural areas for
enhanced sustainability. Kenya is setting up a pilot for professional
management of 33 schemes under the GW4R, with results-based
funding for utilities to incentivize performance.

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