São Paulo – The World Bank has approved USD 332.5 million in funding to expand access to drinking water and irrigation in Tunisia. The funds will be allocated to two projects expected to benefit more than two million people, according to information from the World Bank and TAP state news agency released on Thursday (2). The agreement was signed on Tuesday (31).
The initiative will also help local farmers adopt sustainable technologies and access markets. An estimated 4,000 farmers will directly benefit from the availability of water for irrigation.
The Drinking Water Security and Resilience Project, budgeted at USD 208.5 million, aims to improve the supply of drinking water and the operational capacity of state water distribution company SONEDE. To this end, the Zanat desalination plant will be expanded to serve the communities of Gabès, Médenine and Tataouine in the country’s south-central region. Distribution networks will also be repaired to reduce water losses in Sfax, Tozeur and Kebili. Once completed, the project is expected to provide drinking water to around 2.3 million Tunisians.
In a statement, the World Bank said the funding is part of a USD 700 million, 10-year agreement, with resources to be disbursed in phases. The next stage will focus on sanitation.
Translated by Guilherme Miranda
