LOC11:51
08:51 GMT
Ceremony held to lay the foundation stone for the construction of sewage networks and wastewater treatment plant in Marjeyoun - Khiamt southern Lebanon
KHIAM, South Lebanon, March 26 (KUNA) -- Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development's (KFAED) Director General Abdulwahab Al-Bader, has taken part in a ceremony held to lay the foundation stone for the construction of sewage networks and wastewater treatment plant in Marjeyoun - Khiamt southern Lebanon with an estimated cost of USD 47.562 million.
The ceremony was attended by Lebanese Finance Minister Ali Hassan Khalil on behalf of Speaker of the Lebanese Parliament Nabih Berri, Minister of Energy Cesar Abi Khalil, President of the Council for Development and Reconstruction Eng. Nabil El-Jisr, KFAED's Regional Director Abdullah Al-Sager as well as Lebanese officials.
In a speech, Minister Al-Khalil expressed thanks and appreciation to Kuwait which has always pay attention to this project which will help people of southern Lebanon so they could remain in their lands despite various challenges.
For his part, Minister Cesar Abi Khalil expressed his happiness with the implementation of projects in line with the national strategy for sanitation established by the ministry in 2012, adding that since 1990 to 2009, the ministry has spent about USD 1,450 billion on the sewage sector.
For his part, Al-Bader said Kuwait Fund has completed 50 years of work in the implementation of projects in Lebanon last year, pointing to Kuwait's continued support for development efforts in Lebanon.
The Fund has implemented several projects in the region and this project mainly serves the major project of irrigation of the Litani river and assist the sewage project in Khiam, he added.
Lots of towns will benefit from the project, which will contribute to the protection of water sources from pollution.
The project is 80 percent funded by the Kuwait Fund where its implementation will take about three years.
Kuwait Fund is implementing in South Lebanon the largest socio-economic development project in Lebanon, namely the Litani water project in the southern provinces of Nabatieh, which provides irrigation of about 15,000 hectares of agricultural land and provide drinking water to 100 towns. (end)
ff.ayb.ss