Improving access to clean water and sanitation in the Caribbean

The Caribbean Development Bank is a regional financial institution, established by an agreement signed on 18 October 1969 in Kingston, Jamaica, and entered into force on 26 January 1970. The Bank was established with the aim of contributing to the growth and economic development of the Caribbean member countries and promoting economic cooperation and integration among them, with particular and urgent attention to the needs of the less developed member countries of the region. Specifically, it is committed to helping member countries reduce inequality and halve the incidence of extreme poverty by the end of 2025 by supporting inclusive and sustainable growth.

More details 

The evaluation analyses the Bank's engagement in the water sector over the period 2017-2023, focusing on case studies of specific projects within the Bank's five areas of intervention in the sector: 

• water supply
• sanitation
• waste management and disposal
• water supply and sanitation education and training
• agricultural water resources

In this context, the objective is to evaluate the Bank's operational management and coordination processes and the activities financed for the implementation of the water sector, with a focus on direct beneficiaries. The evaluation follows three steps: the first is the analysis of relevant documents and key stakeholders involved, together with the selection of case studies, the second involves field data collection in Barbados and selected Caribbean countries through interviews and focus groups, and the last is the drafting of the case studies and the final evaluation report. 

Project Impact 

Water plays a crucial role in the social and economic development of the 19 Borrowing Member Countries (BMCs) of the Caribbean Development Bank, and although most of them have legislation regulating the use and management of water resources, there is considerable disparity in the level of development of the water sector, given the multiple challenges the countries face. Among the most frequent, vulnerability to climate change, limited water and land resources,fragile economies, inadequate infrastructure, poor land management, limited capacity for policy planning and implementation, and population growth.

Lattanzio KIBS helps improve the Bank's work and future planning in the water and sanitation sector, while strengthening its operational management and internal coordination processes. The evaluation also contributes to the development of a comprehensive Theory of Change (ToC) of the Bank's work, laying the foundation for increasingly targeted interventions in the region.