Water Cooperation with International Organizations

DAMASCUS, (ST) – Minister of Water Resources Dr. Kamal al –Sheikha discussed with the head of the operations part at the International Red Cross (IRC) Dominique Steel Hard and President of the International Committee of the Red Cross mission in Syria Marianne Gasser ways of activating cooperation and development work mechanism to ensure the implementation of quality and important projects in the sectors of water and sanitation and to overcome the difficulties that prevent the optimum achievement.

During a meeting held recently at the ministry in Damascus, the Minister reviewed the emergency plan prepared by the ministry which is valued at about 16 billion Syrian pounds in order to secure alternative sources of water in all the provinces,  pointing out that the ministry has taken on the list of priorities drilling and processing wells in the provinces of Aleppo and Idlib because of the current circumstances, as well as preparing tanks for drinking water to provide citizens with water.

Dr. al -Sheikha pointed out the possibility of the Commission’s contribution to the implementation of some of the projects in the plan including “drilling and equipping wells and securing reserve generating sets, water tanks and the transfer of water in tanks as well as providing purification stations for surface water.

The Minister also clarified the Commission’s role in securing the sterilization materials and the contribute to secure the areas that need drinking water, pointing to the significant contributions of mechanical and electrical equipment and spare parts for drinking water and  sanitation projects.

For his part, Mr. Hard confirmed the interest of the International Committee of the Red Cross in joint ventures with the Ministry to secure the water needs of the citizens in Syria in accordance with the priorities and the urgent needs, explaining “that the organization pays great attention to water sector.

In the same context, the Minister reviewed, during a meeting with a delegation led by Oxfam Regional Director for the Middle East and the Common wealth, Timoth Holmes, joint projects that are currently under implementation and other achievements that will be in service soon.

The two parties agreed to overcome the difficulties that hinder the progress of work to ensure the implementation of projects, stressing the need to develop work and expand the horizons of cooperation and the implementation of a deliberate strategy including the benefit of projects of renewable energy  “the sun and the wind” in the operation of wells and pumping stations in addition to the work on the production of sterilization materials through local production units.

The two meetings were attended by deputies Minister of Water Osama al-Akhras and Abdullah al-Darwish and Director General of the General Establishment of Drinking Water and Sanitation in Damascus and a number of managers involved in the ministry.

Sharif al -Khatib