Water ministry, Germany's KfW sign 3 agreements worth 10.345m euros

AMMAN — Water Minister Mohammad Najjar and Deputy Director of the German Development Bank (KfW) Jordan Office Sawsan Aruri on Tuesday signed three finance agreements with a total value of 10.345 million euros to be provided by the German government as grants to help the water sector face climate change and develop water resources.

Najjar said that the first agreement includes providing 1.5 million euros to prepare feasibility studies to implement new water projects in Al Azraq basin and construct a new water carrier between Azraq and Khaw, whose cost can reach some 50 million euros, according to a ministry statement.

As for the second agreement, it includes feasibility studies to develop new water resources with a value of 1.475 million euros through water desalination in the Jordan Valley to provide about 10 million cubic feet of drinking water.

The third deal is about a project on adapting with the climate change with a value of some 7.37 million euros to be financed from the European Union with the aim of starting agricultural investments in the Jordan Valley area.

Najjar said that coordination with various donors is ongoing, especially with the EU and the German government, through KfW, to attract more assistance and international grants to implement new projects to sustain and support all water resources and operating them efficiently.

The minister added that the German government and people, via KfW, always extend “big” support, mainly to the water sector, expressing appreciation of all the support offered from Germany.

Aruri voiced her happiness for the fruitful cooperation between the bank and the water sector in the Kingdom, stressing the keenness of the German government, through its finance institutions and mainly KfW, to empower Jordan in facing exceptional circumstances it is encountering regarding water scarcity.