PHOTO
Image used for illustrative purpose. Sewage water is drained into a branch of the Xinjiang river on the outskirts of Yingtan, Jiangxi province February 14, 2011. China is now the world's second largest economy, but hundreds of millions of its people still rely on fouled water that will cost billions of dollars to clean. Picture taken February 14, 2011. To match Analysis CHINA-WATER/ REUTERS/Stringer
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), the European Investment Bank (EIB) and the European Union (EU) are funding the development and implementation of the Kitchener Drain Depollution programme in Egypt.
The project aims to depollute and rehabilitate the Kitchener Drain, the main agricultural drain passing through the governorates of Kafr El Sheikh, Gharbeya and Dakahleya in the Delta region
The EBRD and EIB are providing loans of €148 million and €213.9 million, respectively, to finance the investment programme. In addition, the EU committed €45 million in grants for capital expenditure and technical assistance.
The project will improve the health and environmental conditions of the 6 million people living in 182 villages in the drain catchment area, strengthen agriculture by improving the irrigation water quality and irrigation for 193,000 hectares, and prevent solid waste being dumped and polluting the drain.
(Writing by SA Kader; Editing by Anoop Menon)
