2006 water sector evaluation workshop held [Archives:2006/959/Front Page]
SANA'A, June 27 ) A two-day workshop was held Tuesday to discuss the National Water Sector's joint annual review and its 2006 Strategy and Investment Program. With more than 120 participants, the workshop's aim was to evaluate progress achieved during 2005 regarding financial, administrative and institutional aspects.
According to its statement, the Ministry of Water and Environment, in collaboration with participants from various water sub-sector institutions representing stakeholders and donors, embarked in 2004 on preparing the National Water Sector Strategy and Investment Program (NWSSIP). The aim was to reach a common vision on the current situation of these sub-sectors as well as to assess project implementation of the national water strategy (2005-2015).
Six work groups were established, comprising water resource management, urban water supply and sanitation, irrigation and environment, in addition to a coordinating group within the Ministry of Water and Environment. With participation of donor representatives – namely Germany, the Netherlands and the World Bank – the groups reviewed the various sub-sectors' achievements over the past two months and their compliance with the NWSSIP.
The overall review process was supervised and entrusted to an inter-ministerial steering committee headed by the Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation, with participation of various ministries, including the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation and the Ministry of Local Administration.
Water strategy to cost $1.5 billion plus
A $1.5 billion (USD) allotment has been approved for the implementation of the national strategy to rehabilitate the water sector in Yemen, Dr. Mohamed Ibrahim Al-Hamdi, Deputy Minister of Water and Environment, said Tuesday.
Al-Hamdi indicated that donor countries are expected to contribute $550 million for the project while $429 million will be provided by the Yemeni government. The Ministry of Water and Environment still seeks other funding sources to pay for the remaining cost of the project, estimated at $559 million.
Sana'a University's Center for Water and Environment is in the process of establishing a four-year program to train workers in water management. The program will cost around 2 million euros and will receive support from the Dutch government.
Dr. Taha Mohamed Taher, head of the center's research department, said: “The center plans a long training program for workers in various water and sanitation corporations throughout the country.”
He pointed out that the center has completed its first phase which involved the training of more than 15 graduates specializing in water management. The center is preparing to train a new batch of graduates next year, said Taher.
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