France & Jordan: Cooperation in the water sector

Jordan’s Ministry of Water and Irrigation signed recently a 22.8 million-euro loan agreement with the French Embassy to finance the water sector in the northern regions of the Kingdom. The funds will go towards improving the water services and helping meet the water needs of Syrian refugees.

Jordanian Minister of Water and Irrigation Dr. Hazem Nasser said the French funds will be used to improve the water services and sanitation in the water company Yarmouk – supervising the water sector in the north of Jordan. The funding will also cover the cost of reducing water leakage and securing pumps for a number of wells.

Dr. Hazem added that the French support and cooperation, especially in the water sector, has reached over the past few years 135 million euros, noting that France extended funds worth 60 million euros to the Jordan water company – to be used for the building of a new water network in the poor areas of Amman, and installation of modern meters within the project of replacing 50 percent of the water meters.

The minister noted that the French government will also finance the construction of a pipeline between Abu Alanda in south Amman and Khaou in Zarqa, which is the first phase of supplying Zarqa and the northern region with water through the Disi project at the cost of 48 million euros.

Caroline Dumas, Ambassador of France in Jordan, pledged support to the water sector in Jordan and exchange of expertise in the use of technology in water treatment plants, agricultural and industrial purposes, reduction of water wastage and management of wells and groundwater basins.