African Development Bank (AfDB) has signed a development financing deal worth €109 million with Egypt’s Ministry of International Cooperation.
The financing consists of a €108 million loan from the bank, and a grant of one million from the Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Initiative (RWSSI).
The funding, according to the bank, will help meet the Egyptian government’s financing requirements in the light of the Covid-19 pandemic.
It will also support a sound water and sanitation infrastructure base, a key enabler for the country’s inclusive development.
The Integrated Rural Sanitation in Upper Egypt-Luxor (IRSUE-Luxor) project is set to boost sewage coverage in the region from 6 percent to 55 percent, improving the quality of life of citizens, including women and children, who are most affected by poor sanitation.
‘Promoting efficient, equitable and sustainable economic development through integrated water resources management is a priority for the government of Egypt’, the country’s Minister of International Cooperation, Rania Al-Mashat, said, according to a statement issued by AfDB.
‘The IRSUE-Luxor initiative unlocks the socio-economic development potential for inclusive and green growth’.
About 22,000 households (240,000 inhabitants) will benefit from onsite and offsite facilities, through an integrated system of sewerage networks, sludge treatment and wastewater treatment plants.
IRSUE-Luxor contributes to the National Rural Sanitation programme established by the Ministry of Housing, Utilities and Urban Communities, which aims to expand nationwide access to sanitation services from 34 percent currently to 60 percent in 2030.
The project also complements the national Haya Karima (Decent Life) initiative that aims to help rural communities across Egypt access essential infrastructure services to improve their living conditions and livelihoods.
‘This intervention is not just about infrastructure development. An essential part of the project is supporting ongoing sector reforms’, AfDB Deputy Director General for North Africa, Malinne Blomberg, said.
Source: AfDB
Photo source: Egypt Today
