Jordan to help Palestine better manage water sector

AMMAN — Jordan will assist Palestine in the management of water and wastewater services under a memorandum of understanding signed between the two countries on Monday.

The Water Ministry will implement programmes with the Palestinian Water Authority to train and rehabilitate staff working in the sector, Water Minister Hazem Nasser said.

“The ministry will conduct training courses for the Palestinian Water Authority in the operation, maintenance and management of water and wastewater facilities,” Nasser said during the signing ceremony.

The training courses are designed to raise the efficiency and performance of the Palestinian Water Authority’s cadres and in the management of water and reuse of wastewater, he noted.

In addition, the ministry will transfer its expertise in restructuring the water sector and amendment of relevant laws and policies to the Palestinian water authority, according to the minister.

Meanwhile, the Palestinian Water Authority will share its experience with Jordan in rationalising the use of water, he added.

“Jordan and Palestine suffer from a severe shortage of water; the water per capita share in both countries has dropped to unprecedented low levels, turning the two neighbouring states to be among the water-poorest countries in the world,” Nasser said.

Palestinian Water Authority Director Mazen Ghneim said his country also seeks to benefit from Jordan’s experience in public-private partnerships in the water sector.

He urged Jordan to continue playing its major role in supporting Palestinians’ water rights, noting that water is among the “final solution files” in the stalled negotiations between the Palestinians and Israelis.

He thanked Jordan for promising Palestine to supply it with 30 million cubic metres from the projected Red Sea-Dead Sea Water Conveyance Project, noting that the desalinated water will significantly help address the shortage in Palestine.

Jordan, Israel and Palestine signed a memorandum of understanding last December in Washington to implement the first phase of the Red-Dead project.

Under the memo, Palestine will receive 30 million cubic metres of freshwater to cover its water deficit, while Israel will buy its share of 50mcm of desalinated water from the project at cost value and sell Jordan the same amount of water in the northern part of the Jordan Valley at a cost of JD0.27 per cubic metre.