Moroni, 27 August 2025 - In a significant move to address growing water challenges, the Government of the Union of the Comoros, has announced the approval of a major project to expand access to safe drinking water and strengthen resilience to climate change. Supported by the Least Developed Countries Fund (LDCF) of the Global Environment Facility (GEF), the initiative represents a total investment of US$71.9 million – including US$8.9 million from the LDCF – and will provide climate-resilient drinking water to 75,000 people across the three islands of the archipelago: Grande Comore, Anjouan and Mohéli.
The UNDP-supported project (IAWASuR) is part of the government’s Programme of Action for Resilient Water Supply and complements the efforts of the ER2C project, also supported by UNDP and funded by the Green Climate Fund. It addresses the growing challenges of climate change, watershed degradation, population growth and institutional fragmentation in the water sector.
The project plans to:
• Strengthen local governance of the water sector through the implementation of the 2021 Water Code;
• Build and rehabilitate water infrastructure: 177 km of pipelines, 19 reservoirs, and 7 water networks;
• Restore 1,200 hectares of watersheds to improve groundwater recharge and water quality;
• Modernize climate data systems with 49 automatic weather stations and a shared hydrological database; and
• Promote social inclusion by actively involving women, youth, and people with disabilities in water resource management.
In parallel, the project will modernize the national meteorological network and support institutions such as the state-owned water utility, SONEDE, and the National Agency for Civil Aviation and Meteorology, ANACM, in the collection, analysis, and dissemination of climate and water consumption data. Particular attention will be paid to social inclusion, with the active participation of women, youth, and people with disabilities in water governance and watershed management.
Speaking on the occasion of the project approval, UNDP Resident Representative in Comoros, Snehal Soneji, said, "The Comorian government has committed, as part of its Emerging Comoros Plan, to the goal to ensure that 100 percent of its population has access to a safe, reliable and resilient water supply by 2030. UNDP is already partnering with the government in implementing the GCF-funded E2RC project (2019-27) - the GEF-LDCF-funded IAWASuR project will complement these efforts to address the identified gaps and barriers in the water sector including operationalization of the water code throughout the country."
“The Global Environment Facility is proud to support Comoros in expanding access to safe, climate-resilient drinking water through the IAWASuR project,” said GEF CEO and Chairperson, Carlos Manuel Rodríguez. “By restoring degraded watersheds, strengthening decentralized water governance, and promoting inclusive management, this initiative advances GEF’s priorities of building resilience in Least Developed Countries and Small Island Developing States while safeguarding ecosystems and supporting communities most at risk.”
Aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 6 (clean water and sanitation), SDG 13 (climate action), SDG 5 (gender equality) and SDG 1 (poverty reduction), the project also contributes to the implementation of the Emerging Comoros Plan (PCE), which aims to achieve universal access to reliable and sustainable drinking water by 2030.
Its implementation will be ensured by the Directorate General of the Environment and Forests (DGEF), with support from UNDP and in collaboration with SONEDE, ANACM, the National Electricity Company of Comoros (SONELEC), municipalities, rural economic development centres (CRDEs), local NGOs, universities and the private sector.
The project will begin in June 2026 for a period of five years, with a mid-term evaluation scheduled for December 2028 and operational closure in March 2032.
About UNDP
UNDP is the leading United Nations organization fighting to end the injustice of poverty, inequality and climate change. Working with our broad network of experts and partners in 170 countries, we help nations to build integrated, lasting solutions for people and the planet. Learn more at undp.org or follow at @UNDP.
About the GEF
The Global Environment Facility (GEF) includes several multilateral funds working together to address the planet's most pressing challenges in an integrated way. Its financing helps developing countries address complex challenges and work towards meeting international environmental goals. Over the past three decades, the GEF has provided more than $26 billion in financing, primarily as grants, and mobilized another $153 billion for country-driven priority projects. www.thegef.org
