Jordan, German bank sign loan agreement

The Ministry of Water and Irrigation and the German Development Bank (KfW) on Saturday signed a €30 million loan agreement to finance water projects under the water resources management programme.
The third phase of the programme entails improvements to water supply and sanitation, including expansion of al Karak purification station to almost double its capacity to 5,500 million cubic metres cm as well as rehabilitation of farmers in the Northern Jordan Valley and the establishment of agricultural societies for irrigation purposes.
Minister of Water and Irrigation, Hazem Nasser, said after signing the deal with KfW deputy director, Sawsan Aruri, that the water sector management was seeking international aid and grants to carry out new water and sanitation projects, in a manner to raise their efficiency in the north of the Kingdom.
He said the ministry would build new networks to provide water for agriculture in the northern Jordan Valley region and to minimize lost water.
Nasser said that the new projects, under a medium-term plan, involved construction of a line from Zaatari, part of the Disi water conveyance project, to carry 10-million cubic metres of water to northern governorates.
The minister said the German side had pledged to offer another €30 million by September to face the emergency situation resulting from the exodus of Syrian refugees into Jordan.