external cooperation the 1992 demand-responsive strategy for rural water supply and sanitation (see above) has been implemented since 1993 with the strong help of external development partners in several departments. the different programs are summarized under the assistance program for the development of the water supply and sanitation sector in rural areas (padear). danish international development agency (danida) danida was the first development partner, which together with the world bank financed the implementation of the 1992 strategy in the departments of zou and atlantique in 1993. five years later, padear financed by danida started in the departments of alibori and borgou. the second phase of the water and sanitation sector programme support began in 2005 and was expected to end in 2010. the objective of the program is to reduce poverty in rural and semi-urban areas through improved water supply coverage, promotion of hygiene and basic sanitation and sustainable water resources use. the program consists of the five components sector budget support, institutional support, water supply and hygiene education, sanitation and support to the private sector. the total budget is about us$65 million (dkk 306.4 million). french development agency the french development agency (afd) contributes about usd22 million (eur13.8 million) to the program budget 2005-2008, which aims to fight poverty and to ensure improved access to water supply and sanitation. besides a contribution to the program budget of the collines department, the program support includes a component to support the methodology of the program budgets for objectives (bpo) and decentralization, among others, and another component to assist the definition of a sustainable administration policy of rural water supply schemes. germany the german development partners deutsche gesellschaft für technische zusammenarbeit (gtz) and german development bank (kfw) financed padear in the departments of oueme and mono in 1996. since 2001, they also financed padear in five municipalities of the atakora department and two municipalities of the donga department. in addition, the german development cooperation supports urban water supply through soneb and its regional branches. the netherlands thanks to the netherlands' support, more than 300,000 people were provided with new water points. from 2007 to 2011, the netherlands finance a program to improve rural water supply and sanitation. the national government of benin also received funds for the implementation of a hand washing campaign. in addition, the gradual implementation of decentralization to local institutions and municipalities is supported. world bank since 2003, the world bank has supported the republic of benin through poverty reduction support credits (prscs). the first (2004–2005) and the second (2005–2006) prscs, which together provided us$50 million were both designed to help the implementation of the 2002 poverty reduction strategy paper and included support for improving water supply. second decentralized city management together with the french development agency, the world bank contributes to the second decentralized city management program, which started in 2005 and is expected to end in 2010. the program's objective is to increase access to infrastructure and basic services in the beninese cities of cotonou, porto-novo, parakou, abomey-calavi, kandi and lokossa. under the program, basic infrastructure including sewerage is rehabilitated and/or constructed. community participation and integration is supported, in particular in poor neighborhoods. water and sanitation program the world bank's multi-donor partnership water and sanitation program (wsp) is active in benin and has established a country presence in 2004. the activities focus on the implementation of a strategy to reach the mdgs, in particular in rural areas, where the wsp supports the development and implementation of a communication action plan and a maintenance pilot project. together with other development partners, the wsp seeks to introduce a strategy for urban water supply and sanitation. in addition, the wsp helps to develop a national hand washing initiative. the wsp works in a close partnership with the world bank's water and urban unit - west africa and national development agencies.