Water Supply and Sanitation Access Program (PASEA) Project

About this project

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the largest country in Sub-Saharan Africa and its third most populous, is rich in natural resources but remains one of the world's poorest countries. With an estimated population of 110 million - over half living in rural areas - and a low population density, poverty is widespread, with 73 percent of households living on less than US$ 1.90 per day. Access to water supply and sanitation (WSS) services is extremely limited: 53 percent of the population lacks basic water access and 84 percent lacks basic sanitation access. Disparities are stark, particularly between urban and rural areas. Despite abundant water resources, the sector is constrained by weak infrastructure, fragmented governance, limited institutional capacity, and insufficient investment, especially in rural and peri-urban areas. The institutional framework remains complex, with overlapping mandates across multiple ministries and agencies, and key sector reforms introduced by the 2015 Water Law - such as the regulatory authority (ARSPE) and the national water resources agency (OCE) are not yet fully operational. Sanitation remains particularly fragmented, with an incomplete legislative framework and unclear responsibilities across the service chain. To address these challenges, the Government of DRC (GoDRC) has developed a national WASH program and a WASH Compact with ambitious targets and financing needs of US$ 20 billion. The Water Supply and Sanitation Access Program (PA…

Published by

World Bank · Multilateral

Countries

Congo - Kinshasa

Sectors

Basic drinking water supplyWater supply - large systemsSanitation - large systemsWater sector policy and administrative managementMulti-hazard response preparedness

Places

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Funded by

International Development Association

Implemented by

Ministry of Water Resources and Electricity

Accountable

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Passes funds through

International Development Association

Published by World Bank to the International Aid Transparency Initiative (IATI), last updated 3 Oct 2026 and imported automatically. IATI identifier: 44000-P178389.

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