Navigating towards more sustainable outcomes in the Kiribati water, sanitation and hygiene sector

Water and sanitation management in Kiribati is amongst the most complex and challenging in the world. Despite significant aid investment in the country’s water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) sector, the sustainability of these initiatives is questionable with a cycle of infrastructure break-down, repair and break-down, weak governance, poor coordination and an aid modality dominated by short-term donor driven projects. Through a literature review and thematic analysis of key informant interviews, this research identifies the decisive factors inhibiting the sustainability of the Kiribati WASH sector and proposes solutions to enable more sustainable outcomes. The recommendations focus on actions that can be employed to navigate around the foundational constraint identified in the thematic analysis – governance and leadership – and are framed considering the sphere of influence of development partners and actors. The outcomes of the research could be used to inform future development assistance planning and project and program implementation.