Syrian-UNICEF Plan of Action to Support Water Sector
DAMASCUS, (ST)_ A plan of action to support water sector in Syria with a total budget of 35.9 million dollars was co signed on Monday by Minister of Water Resources Bassam Hanna and UNICEF ‘s Representative in Damascus Youssef Abdul Jalil .
The plan, which comes in the framework of cooperation between the two sides and in response with the humanitarian emergency plan for water sector, provides for rehabilitation of the water system and sanitation at the city level to reach the safe water and secure sanitation for affected people in all parts of Syria, as from April 1 through December 31st, 2013..
The Minister pointed out that the plan came after a series of qualitative and technical meetings with representatives of UNICEF in Syria and field visits to the provinces concerned to reach the program of action helping the ministry in providing safe water to all citizens.
The Minister noted significant challenges in the water sector in Syria , due to the great sabotage in the infrastructure and the economic sanctions imposed on the Syrians, pointing out that UNICEF will contribute to securing citizens water needs and necessary maintenance to deliver irrigation and drinking water.
In turn, Abdul Jalil stressed that in the framework of a consistent plan with the Ministry of Water Resources, UNICEF assessed the needs of citizens affected in this sector last year and developed a response plan included providing 600 tons of chlorine to treat water in all Syrian provinces, indicating that the organization is now providing electricity generators for pumping water for several provinces.
T. Fateh