The World Bank announced an Italian grant of €8m ($ 9.53m) to support the efforts of the Palestinian government aimed at improving drinking water supplies in the Gaza Strip. The grant is the first Italian contribution to the Partnership for Infrastructure Development in the West Bank and Gaza Multi-Donor Trust Fund (PID MDTF), which is administered by the World Bank, to join ten other development partners, the World Bank said in a statement.
Italian Consul General in Jerusalem Giuseppe Fidel said that his country has been supporting the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip for a long time, as their suffering has increased at the present time due to the impact of the Coronavirus pandemic.
He added that Italy aims, through this project, to support the modernization of the water supply sector, as a decisive step towards providing basic services and facilitating sustainable development in the sector.
In the statement, the World Bank said that the grant will support the priority activities of the Palestinian National Authority in the water sector, including in particular reforms and investments aimed at improving access to safe drinking water in the Gaza Strip.
He added the contribution comes within the framework of the Water Security Development Program, which is a long-term commitment by the international community to improve water supplies in the Palestinian territories.
