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Sub-Saharan Africa: Drinking Water

Asked by Mr Gregory CampbellDemocratic Unionist PartyForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled Answered 4 June 2026UIN 5307

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of overseas aid on the provision of clean drinking water in Sub-Saharan Africa in the last five years.

Answered by Chris Elmore

It is estimated that access to safely managed water services in Sub-Saharan Africa increased from 30 per cent in 2020 to 32 per cent in 2024, supported by overseas development assistance from the UK, other individual countries, and multilateral organisations, as well as the vital work of many NGOs.

At the same time, the population in sub-Saharan Africa increased from 1,094 billion to 1,391 billion. This means that an estimated 117 million additional people gained access to safely managed drinking water services over this period.

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