European External Action Service
European External Action Service
09/08/2025 | News release | Distributed by Public on 09/08/2025 16:41
Global Gateway: European Union boosts Solomon Islands’ urban water supply and sanitation with SBD 226 million
Solomon Islands' urban water infrastructure received a significant boost as the European Union (EU) and the European Investment Bank (EIB) announced a €24 million (approximately SBD 226 million) funding package for the upgrade of the country's water and sanitation system. European Commissioner for International Partnerships, Jozef Síkela, made the announcement at the EU-Pacific Business Forum in Fiji on 05 September.
Commissioner Síkela said: "Clean water and safe sanitation mean healthier families, stronger communities, and greater resilience against climate shocks. Through Global Gateway, the EU and Solomon Islands invest to modernise urban water and sanitation - an investment that protects public health while also supporting the social and economic well-being of communities."
Given the rapid urbanisation forecasted in the Solomon Islands, with Honiara's population expected to triple in the coming decades, this investment will enhance access to safe water and improved sanitation for the country's urban and peri-urban populations.
Under the agreement, the EIB will provide a loan of €14.4 million (approximately SBD 136 million) complemented by a €9.6 million (approximately SBD 90 million) grant from the EU, under the EU Global Gateway strategy implemented in a Team Europe approach.
The Urban Water Supply and Sanitation System Project (UWSSSP) will benefit the greater Honiara area, along with Auki, Gizo, Noro, Munda, and Tulagi, with goals to enhance water efficiency, climate resilience, and the sustainability of urban water infrastructure.
This initiative continues the tradition of fruitful cooperation between EU institutions and the Solomon Islands Government, emphasising the shared commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly the Goal 6 on Clean Water and Sanitation.
ENDS
About Global Gateway
Global Gateway is the EU's positive offer to reduce the worldwide investment disparity and boost smart, clean and secure connections in digital, energy and transport sectors, and to strengthen health, education and research systems.
The Global Gateway strategy embodies a Team Europe approach that brings together the European Union, EU Member States, and European development finance institutions. This approach aims to mobilise up to €300 billion in public and private investments from 2021 to 2027, creating essential links rather than dependencies, and closing the global investment gap.
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