TOKYO-Head of Water Authority Eng. Mazen Ghoneim met with Japanese Foreign Minister, Taro Kono, at the Foreign Ministry in Tokyo, attended by Palestinian Ambassador to Japan Waleed Siam, to discuss strategic cooperation with regards to water security in Palestine.

Eng.Ghoneim briefed the Japanese side with the development in the water sector, despite all the challenges, most notably the political challenge under occupation restricts movement and liberties and take away rights and create obstacles to the efforts of the given application programmes for the development of water and sanitation services.

Ghoneim also stressed the importance of intensified local and international efforts for the success of the strategic projects chiefly the central station project, and gave a full explanation of the programme of the central station and associated works, and how the project will solve the water crisis in Gaza, calling on the Japanese side to support and actively participate in the international donors conference on 20 March in Brussels.

For his part Minister Kono welcomed Eng. Ghoneim’s visit to Japan, and praised the relationship between Japan and Palestine, added that development of the water sector in Palestine is one of the priorities of the Government of Japan for its importance and impact on human life, and here he stressed Japan's support and participation in the international donors conference which will pave the way to start a huge project in the Gaza Strip.

In another meeting, Ghoneim met with Director General for Middle East and Africa Hiroshi Oka, attended by Palestinian Ambassador to Japan Waleed Siam, to discuss joint cooperation in the water sector, and ways to achieve strategic projects by utilizing and sharing experiences of countries in the Middle East and Africa, in addition to ways of technical and material support to Palestinian water sector's future development.

The series of international meetings held by Ghoneim, to ensure the success of the International Donor Conference, Concurrently with the preparations for the opening of the North Gaza sewage project on 13 March, is the first and the most recent project in Gaza wastewater treatment which establishes a new stage to halt environmental degradation and health sector Gaza.