Guatemala
The Water Fund supports development processes in Guatemala through 10 programmes (nine bilateral and one multilateral), promoting a portfolio of 155 million euros, 82.3 million euros of which are donations from Spain. At present, four bilateral programmes (GTM-014-B, GTM-015-B, GTM-016-B, GTM-017-B) and one multilateral programme (GTM-001-M) are underway.
By the end of 2020, 180 drinking water supply and sanitation projects had been implemented, reaching 186,183 beneficiaries of regular operations and 38,466 beneficiaries of the 2017 emergency operation, which consisted of the rehabilitation of 30 water supply systems affected by the San Marcos earthquake.
Among the actions carried out in 2020 under the Association of Municipalities of the Altiplano Marquense, ADIMAM, programme (GTM-014-B), it is worth highlighting the completion and implementation of three community water supply and sanitation systems, which have benefited 3,153 people; the development of forest protection and recovery actions in 4.5 hectares of forest associated with the water recharge areas of these systems; the training of community environmental trainers for the monitoring of environmental actions, risk management and water and sanitation practices, and the monitoring of the training programme for the administration and operation of water supply and sanitation systems with 36 community organisations.
Regarding the programme implemented by Action Against Hunger International, ACF (GTM 015-B) RUK’U’X YA’, which aims to “contribute to health and the reduced incidence of acute diarrhoeal diseases in 12 municipalities in the department of Sololá, through improvements in management and sustainable access to water and sanitation at the community and local level, and in basic public health services and primary schools”, the general launch of the programme was particularly relevant. It was carried out with the aim of seeking recognition and positioning of the programme among the different agents and collaborating entities in the country and of the beneficiary population. The inauguration of the Training Centre took place and began its operations. The centre specialises in masonry and plumbing trades in water and sanitation, aimed at vocational training and development of young men and women, marginalised in the public education system and unemployed, residing in the municipalities of the department of Sololá, and particularly in rural areas. Also noteworthy is the start of the construction of 12 sanitary units in health centres and schools.
Programme GTM-016-B is working with the Municipality of Guatemala to establish a water security strategy for the metropolitan area of Guatemala City and the municipalities of the Greater South City Commonwealth. The start of activities included the collection of baseline information and the beginning of the diagnosis of the aquifer in the Guatemala Valley through an inventory of water supply points. In parallel and in a coordinated manner, through a monetary grant executed by the Union for the Conservation of Nature, IUCN, an eco-systemic analysis of the Xayá and Pixcayá basins of interest, which are fundamental in the current supply of surface water to the Metropolitan Region of Guatemala City, has been carried out.
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Ongoing programmes were affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and emergency response measures had to be put in place to build prevention capacities in communities and municipalities. Among the actions, it is worth mentioning the implementation of awareness campaigns associated with the development of hygienic practices, the rehabilitation of community disinfection systems, the supply of sodium hypochlorite stocks to communities and municipalities, equipping health units to monitor water quality, the installation of hand-washing units in public spaces and the supply of water in vulnerable areas through water tankers.
In 2020, a new programme of the Fund was approved, “Institutional and technical strengthening in the provision of drinking water and sanitation services to improve resilience in communities in the municipality of Sololá, Department of Sololá” (GTM-017-B). The programme aims to strengthen the prevention, preparedness and response capacities of the municipality of Sololá, contributing to the continuation of water and sanitation system services in the face of emergencies, sudden events or incidents and fostering community resilience.
The multilateral portfolio continues to be implemented through the water and sanitation programme executed jointly with the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), which currently has six contracts underway for the improvement of urban water and sanitation systems in the municipalities of the department of San Marcos. Three are underway with significant progress (between 50 and 90%), and completion is scheduled for 2022: one, with very slow progress due to problems with the land, and two have suffered delays in the start-up stage due to the programme’s administrative procedures. To unblock the operations that are experiencing problems and delays in their execution, the institutional dialogue between the Government, the IDB and the Spanish Cooperation Agency (AECID) has been intensified.
