Water Supply and Sanitation in Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers (PRSP)

This study sought to benchmark how different countries in SubSaharan Africa incorporate water supply and sanitation (WSS) into the PRSP process, with additional research into broader sector issues. The study builds on a previous study conducted by WSP-Africa in 2003. The research highlighted a few key lessons: firstly, it is the context in which the PRSP is developed, rather than the PRSP document itself, that most strongly influences whether a country, province, or community will be successful in implementing sustainable activities to improve water, sanitation, and hygiene. Secondly, while the PRSP itself does not seem to drive change, the PRSP process can help to bridge sector planning with broader macro-economic and budgeting decisions by government. Finally, it should be noted that those countries that were early adopters of incorporating WSS in their PRSPs continue to strengthen their strategic planning process. For example, while countries thatare starting a reform process, the PRSP seems to focus on increasing access to WSS, while in countries with stronger sectors, such as Uganda, specific indicators like value for money and sustainability of WSS investments are also included.