(MENAFN- Jordan Times) AMMAN - The Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation signed two investment grant agreements with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) worth approximately $11 million to support the implementation of a new wastewater treatment plant in West Irbid. Minister of Planning and International Cooperation Zeina Toukan signed the agreements on behalf of the Jordanian government, while the Minister of Water and Irrigation signed on behalf of the benefiting entity. Representing the EBRD, Gretchen Biry, the bank's office manager in Amman and regional director for East Mediterranean operations, also signed the agreements. The signing ceremony was attended by the EU Ambassador Ambassador Pierre-Christophe Chatzisavas and the UK Ambassador Philip Hall, according to a ministry statement.

Toukan explained that the first grant, valued at $8 million, is provided by the UK under the High Impact Partnership on Climate Action Fund. The second grant, amounting to €2.75 million, is provided by the EU through the Neighbourhood Investment Platform. These grants contribute to the project's total financing, which includes a $19 million loan from the EBRD signed on June 10, 2024, bringing the total funding to approximately $30 million.

The project aims to improve the wastewater system sustainably and relieve pressure on infrastructure, ultimately providing sanitation services to towns and villages included in the project, benefiting around 200,000 people across 17 villages in West Irbid and surrounding areas. The new plant will have a total capacity of 12,000 cubic meters per day and will be implemented over four years. Additionally, the treated wastewater will be used as a sustainable source for irrigating agricultural lands around the plant and neighboring areas.

Toukan expressed her gratitude to the EBRD, the UK, and the EU for their support of this vital service project and their continuous support for Jordan's developmental priorities under the Economic Modernization Vision.

Gretchen Biry, the EBRD's regional director for East Mediterranean operations, stated, "We are very proud of our ongoing collaboration with the EU and the UK in Jordan to help improve wastewater services in West Irbid. We commend the Jordanian government's efforts and continuous investments in essential infrastructure. By working together, we are committed to enhancing municipal infrastructure in Jordan. The new wastewater facility will provide essential sanitation services for the first time to the local community and Syrian refugees, contributing to the livelihoods of West Irbid residents and promoting sustainable water management in the area."

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