Ramallah – Head of Water Authority, Eng. Mazen Ghunaim, met in his office today and through the visual system, with the World Bank director in Palestine, Kanthan Shankar, and discussed with him the latest developments in the implementation and processing of water sector development programs.

At the beginning of the meeting, Eng. Ghunaim stressed the World Bank's strategic role in water sector development through specific projects being developed and implemented in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

The attendees discussed the development of several vital projects being implemented, mainly the Central desalination Station program and the accompanying works. In particular, the first phase of the joint-funded South-Central Business Project from the World Bank and the $117 million Kuwaiti Fund, which includes the establishment of the southern conveyor line, rehabilitation of water networks in the central and southern governorates, Khan Yunis, Rafah, development of the additional water network for the center and Khan Yunis, and institutional support to manage the water system in the southern governorates to ensure sustainable operation and maintenance.

Ghunaim and Shankar also discussed the 'Sanitation Management System Project in the Gaza Strip', where the financial agreement was recently signed with the donor. The project includes operating the treatment plant in northern Gaza in the coming years and developing its management process efficiently and sustainably. In this context, the two parties stressed the need to take the necessary measures to ensure the best sustainability of the service and to continue and develop the operation, maintenance, and development of all water and sanitation facilities.

In addition, the meeting addressed progress in the preparation of the "National Program for the Development of Water and sanitation Services in Palestine", in the context of improving the efficiency of water and sanitation service providers and improving the quality of service to citizens toward the establishment of regional water facilities.

Ghunaim praised the World Bank's support to the Water Authority in the strategic planning phase to prioritize infrastructure projects to be implemented in the West Bank is valuable through providing support for the preparation of comprehensive plans, prioritizing and designing investment infrastructure projects, in the framework of developing and improving the efficiency of the bulk water service in the West Bank, especially with ed and scarce water.

The meeting included a discussion of several programs, projects and initiatives being implemented by the Water Authority in the framework of water sector development and in cooperation with the World Bank.

At the end of the meeting, Mr. Shankar appreciated the directions and policies taken by the Head of the Water Authority for Water sector Development, stressing the support of the World Bank as a key partner for the development and implementation of strategic projects for this vital sector