Palestine: International donors pledge $5.4 billion to help rebuild Gaza Strip

UfM representatives presented the Desalination Facility Project as priority water intervention for Gaza Strip to international community gathered at Cairo International Conference on Palestine “Reconstructing Gaza”.

With the aim to address the deepening humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip, the Governments of Egypt and Norway together with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas hosted a pledging conference in Cairo on 12 October. The Conference was opened by H.E. President Sisi of the Arab Republic of Egypt, and President Abbas.  High-level interventions included UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon, US Secretary of State John Kerry, EU High Representative Catherine Ashton, Secretary-General of the League of Arab States Nabil El-Araby, Foreign Minister of Jordan Nasser Judeh, Foreign Minister of Italy Federica Mogherini, Foreign Minister of France Laurent Fabius, and Quartet Representative Tony Blair.

The conference achieved its objective of strengthening the Government of Palestine’s ability to rehabilitate and reconstruct the Gaza Strip by securing 5.4 Billion US Dollar in financial pledges, as well as by presenting an unified call for improved access of materials to Gaza through existing channels negotiated by the United Nations. President Abbas personally met with UfM representatives to discuss the progress on the Desalination Facility project and requested the UfM Secretariat to catalyse it both technically and financially together with other key partners.

On 22 June 2011, the 43 member countries of the UfM unanimously endorsed the “Desalination Facility for the Gaza Strip” as a project not only vital for the Palestinian population but also offering major regional impact. The project aims to build a large-scale Desalination Plant and a north-south water carrier that will supply drinking water for more than 1.7 million Palestinian inhabitants of the Gaza Strip presenting a long-term solution for the chronic and longstanding water shortage in Gaza. Due to the contamination of more than 95% of the underlying coastal aquifer this water crisis has been further aggravated as a result of the recent destruction of water and sanitation infrastructure in the Gaza Strip; It is estimated that 100% of groundwater will not meet WHO standards as fit for consumption by 2016.

The message delivered by the UfM delegation welcomed the initiative of Norway and Egypt and stated that “the UfM stands ready to support the efforts by the international community to address the urgent and long-term needs of the Gaza Strip during this challenging period of reconstruction towards ensuring its future development, and the well-being of all Palestinian people”. The statement stressed the humanitarian, environmental and developmental importance of this essential project which shall ensure the future habitability and development potential of the Gaza Strip.

The UfM Secretariat has been working closely with the Government of Palestine helping to secure the engagement of a number of international financial institutions and international organisations to this initiative.  Outstanding efforts have been led by the European Investment Bank to advance technical preparation on the desalination plant, including a 4 Million Euro technical assistance operation financed by the European Commission that will allow the Palestinian Water Authority to tender Engineering, Procurement and Construction before the end of December this year.  This flagship project counts on the support of a consortium including the European Investment Bank, Islamic Development Bank, United Nations, and the World Bank

Desalination Facility for the Gaza Strip project