The Cooperation Fund for Water and Sanitation is no longer just the legal instrument that was created in 2008. Over time, the Fund has had a multiplier effect meaning that managing the funds now involves much more than the initial €800 million given in donations. Programmes have been set up for more than €1.6 billion which, added to the delegated cooperation funds entrusted to Spain by the European Union and the interventions leveraged by these, including FONPRODE’s reimbursable cooperation operations associated with these large combined interventions, constitute a portfolio of more than €2 billion.
The Great Fund is the sum of all water and sanitation initiatives in which AECID participates, multiplying the impact of the original Water Fund through associated instruments such as technical cooperation, the delegation of EU funds or the coordination of other AECID instruments such as reimbursable cooperation, bilateral grants or triangular cooperation.
It involves an evolution and expansion of the portfolio by virtue of larger support operations, focused on the transition from individual actions to the formation of large operations run by various national and international actors, including contributions from local, regional and national governments, financial bodies and cooperation agencies. This allows them to maximise their impact while simplifying management for the countries involved.
It has two main axes that serve as a backbone for all actions: the cooperation of actors through partnerships and support in the development of public policies aimed at upholding the human right to water and sanitation and Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM). In the spirit of SDG 17, which promotes the creation of a Global Partnership for Development, the Fund has also served as a bridge and catalyst for joint initiatives in the sector. They also have an impact on knowledge management and capacity development with AECID’s own tools, such as the Intercoonecta capacity development programme.
