LocationsGuadalcanal Province Signs Agreement with UNDP and European Union to Boost Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene
March 19, 2024
Group photo of the technical committee of Guadalcanal Province Provincial Government and UNDP.
Honiara, Solomon Islands: Guadalcanal Province in Solomon Islands has taken a significant step towards improving access to water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) through the signing of a Letter of Agreement with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
The Letter of Agreement and subsequent activity falls under UNDP’s Provincial Governance and Service Delivery project, supported by the European Union.
The signing of this agreement marks the initiation of a partnership aimed at enhancing essential services for the people of Guadalcanal Province. Through an initial grant of SBD 1,220,500 (US$149,260), the provincial government will embark on three key interventions targeting two schools and one healthcare facility. These initiatives aim to uphold the fundamental rights to water and sanitation, benefiting a total of 1,290 individuals, including 94 women, 124 men, 997 girls, and 75 boys.
Hon. Francis Sade, Premier of Guadalcanal Province, thanked UNDP and the European Union for their support to the province.
Mozammel Haque, UNDP’s Project Manager, commended Guadalcanal’s Provincial Government for their collaboration in finalizing the Letter of Agreement, which serves as a blueprint for other provinces participating in the project. Haque reiterated the project's commitment to decentralization, underscoring its importance in advancing the Sustainable Development Goals in the Solomon Islands.
Premier of Guadalcanal Province, Hon. Francis Sade, and UNDP´s project manager, Mozammel Haque during the signing ceremony
Guadalcanal Province now joins Central Province in benefiting from these grants, with Choiseul, Isabel, Temotu, and Western Province poised to follow suit. The Provincial Governance and Service Delivery project addresses challenges such as limited resources, weak capacity, and ineffective coordination among line ministries and Provincial Governments, aiming to enhance service delivery to communities.
The project seeks to bridge current gaps in service delivery at the provincial level, thereby contributing to the achievement of the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals.
The project operates in close collaboration with the Solomon Islands Government at national, provincial, and community levels, leveraging sector grants for health and education to facilitate critical water and sanitation activities. Through the existing Provincial Capacity Development Fund, administered by the Ministry of Provincial Government and Institutional Strengthening, the project disburses these grants and facilitates consultations on policy areas to enhance decentralized, people-centered service delivery.
For more information or media inquiries please contact:
Daniel C. Gonzalez, Communications Analyst, UNDP Solomon Islands Office | daniel.calderon.gonzalez@undp.org | +677 7740740 | +34 656560270
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