The Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA) signed a grant agreement with the Tunisian government on February 26 to provide a grant of up to 3,208 million yen for the construction of an advanced wastewater treatment plant in Gabès, JICA reported.
The project aims to set up a new advanced wastewater treatment plant alongside the existing one in Gabès while ensuring its efficient operation and maintenance. This will enable the stable use of recycled water as industrial water and, by conserving water resources, will contribute to improving the living environment and reducing regional disparities in Tunisia. The project will also contribute to achieving SDG goals 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation) and 13 (Climate Action).
Additionally, this project will be implemented using a “grant with operation and maintenance”. Japanese private sector companies will carry out the operation and maintenance of the facility for a certain period, and it is expected that private sector know-how will be used.
Grant Aid with Operation and Maintenance aims to facilitate the acquisition of operation and management rights by Japanese companies and to use Japan’s advanced technologies and know-how for the development of developing countries. To this end, grants are awarded to public works projects involving a range of activities from the construction of facilities to operation, maintenance and management, with the participation of private companies.
In Tunisia, the whole country is facing the challenge of water shortages, partly due to the recent effects of climate change. In particular, the south of the country, including the governorate of Gabès, is located in a semi-arid region where average rainfall is low, making water supply and demand strained. In addition, 90% of Tunisia’s groundwater is highly saline and therefore unsuitable for industrial use, which is one of the challenges hindering industrial development in Gabès and the surrounding region.
TunisianMonitorOnline
