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Union for the Mediterranean approves water plant for Gaza

PARIS, June 24 (KUNA) -- The Union for the Mediterranean (UM), which is currently co-chaired by France and Egypt, has approved a USD 450 million project to build a water desalination plant for Gaza, it was announced here Friday.
The plant will take five years to build and the UM is to undertake the operation to raise financing for it construction.
UM and outside experts have been working for months on the feasibility of the desalination plant, which received the go-ahead by ambassadors from the Union earlier this week.
The water plant should help alleviate some of the chronic shortages of clean water in the Palestinian Territory that is under almost watertight embargo by Israel.
French officials said that the project is "a vital challenge with regard to the humanitarian situation in Gaza." France has several times called on Israel to ease restrictions on trade and movement in and out of Gaza, but with little effect. (end) jk.bs KUNA 242138 Jun 11NNNN