Project preparation

Successful water project preparation

The African Water Facility supports the preparation of bankable, investment-ready projects to mobilize and secure investment for the implementation of key water-related infrastructure and services.

The primary strategic focus for AWF operations will remain the preparation of projects and programmes that optimise multipurpose water resources development and use.

The core activity will consist of feasibility studies and designs that validate and develop a project concept to an investment-ready stage, along with project structuring and transactional advisory activities as needed to make a project bankable, ready to secure public and/or private financing.

Where needed, support to strengthen the enabling environment for investments will be embedded within preparation projects, and may include:

the preparation of water resource development plans where this is needed as a precedent to the preparation of specific projects;
institutional support and capacity building to manage and regulate water resources investments;
developing the water information and knowledge base where the necessary data to support project design is lacking.

Projects will be screened for climate change risks and social inclusion potential to ensure all projects prepared provide climate resilient infrastructure and gender- informed services.

The new strategy will focus AWF's efforts on preparing projects that will expand the pilot projects, rather than preparing the pilot projects itself. This strategy includes an enhanced focus on the private sector and the downstream preparatory phases leading to financial closure.

Project preparation will be allocated 75% of the overall program budget.