The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) announced its annual list of high-priority countries for safe and resilient water, sanitation, and hygiene assistance. Aligned with the requirements in the Water for the World Act of 2014, these partner countries will be the primary focus of the U.S. government’s investments to build a more water-secure world amid ongoing challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, climate crisis, and conflict.

Following a data-driven process outlined in the Act that considered lack of access to water and sanitation, along with opportunities to make significant progress in meeting these challenges, USAID has designated 21 High Priority Countries (HPCs) for Fiscal Year (FY) 2022. This includes redesignating 17 of the countries designated as HPCs for FY 2021, as well as four new additions: Guatemala, the Philippines, Rwanda, and Zambia.

In total, the 21 HPCs for FY 2022 are the Democratic Republic of Congo, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Nepal, Ghana, Guatemala, Haiti, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Liberia, Madagascar, Mali, Mozambique, the Philippines, Rwanda, Senegal, South Sudan, Uganda, Zambia, and Tanzania.

For FY 2022, USAID also classified three strategic-priority countries and regions, given a combination of national-security considerations and development needs. This includes the re-designation of Jordan and Lebanon, as well as the designation of the West Bank and Gaza.

The world remains off track to achieve the sustainable development goals for water and sanitation, with nearly two billion people expected to still lack access to even basic water by 2030. The designation of these High Priority Countries seeks to help close that gap, with the majority of those forecast to be left behind without even basic water access living in these 21 countries. This prioritization ensures that USAID’s investments on behalf of the American taxpayer will have significant, measurable impact. USAID will work with governments, civil society, faith-based organizations, and the private sector in these high-priority countries to accelerate water security and advance resilience, prosperity, and stability.

Since the launch of the U.S. government’s Global Water Strategy in 2017, USAID’s financial assistance has already helped 15.5 million people around the world gain access to sustainable drinking water and 14.8 million people gain access to sustainable sanitation.