For a cleaner Mediterranean by the year 2020
This initiative is funded by the European Commission through DG EuropeAid.

Significant progress has been made in advancing the four priority projects supported through the investment component of H2020 and MeHSIP-PPIF

on 28 Dec 2012.

The last few months have seen significant progress in advancing the four priority projects supported through the investment component of H2020 and MeHSIP-PPIF. The feasibility studies for the Al Ekaider (Jordan) and Lake Bizerte (Tunisia) projects have been completed allowing for pre-appraisal missions to be carried out by the EIB. The feasibility studies for the remaining two projects (Kafr El Sheikh in Egypt and Al Ghadir in Lebanon) are expected to be completed towards the end of 2012 allowing for their appraisal procedures to be launched in the first quarter of 2013.

The last few months have seen significant progress in advancing the four priority projects supported through the investment component of H2020 and MeHSIP-PPIF. The feasibility studies for the Al Ekaider (Jordan) and Lake Bizerte (Tunisia) projects have been completed allowing for pre-appraisal missions to be carried out by the EIB. The feasibility studies for the remaining two projects (Kafr El Sheikh in Egypt and Al Ghadir in Lebanon) are expected to be completed towards the end of 2012 allowing for their appraisal procedures to be launched in the first quarter of 2013.

Progress made under MeHSIP-PPIF on the ongoing feasibility studies is presented here for the four priority investment projects:

 

  • Lake Bizerte (Tunisia): the feasibility study was recently completed including additional industries adjacent to Lake Bizerte also becoming part of this project. A key milestone was recently achieved through the submission of an official request for financing from the Government of Tunisia to the EIB. The subsequent pre-appraisal mission that took place on 26-29 November 2012 confirmed the strong commitment from the central and local authorities for this project to be implemented. Furthermore, the signature of a Charter for the sustainable development of the Lake that took place on the 16th of October (2012) in close coordination with the Capacity Building component of the H2020 initiative (CB/MEP) also demonstrated the commitment of Tunisian authorities and all involved stakeholders to the realisation of this project according to high environmental standards.
  • Al Ekaider(Jordan): the Scoping & Option analysis was completed in August 2012 following extensive consultation with central and local stakeholders, allowing for a consolidated version of the feasibility study to be completed in early October 2012 and before the organisation of a back-to-back technical and EIA consultation that took place in Amman on 18-19 September 2012. Following the September consultations MeHSIP-PPIF is currently finalizing the final version of the feasibility study by completing the ESIA chapter and updating the financial and economic analysis based on the final results achieved. Despite the recent change in Government the project maintains its momentum and MeHSIP-PPIF is currently following closely the process initiated by the Government of Jordan for formalising a request for financing to the EIB that will open the way for an official EIB appraisal mission.

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  • Lake Burullus/Kafr El Sheikh (Egypt): the feasibility study, including the detailed design for two ‘village clusters’, is expected to be completed before the end of 2012. The Government of Egypt, through the recently established Ministry of Water and Sanitation Facilities has identified this project as one of two priority projects to proceed swiftly towards implementation. Further, the Ministry of Housing & Urban Communities has recently also expressed its support to the project and asked for speeding up the implementation of the wastewater project in the cities and villages shoring drains, in order to prevent the discharge of untreated wastewater to Lake Burullus and on to the Mediterranean Sea. EIB is planning to initiate the appraisal procedures in early 2013.
  • Al Ghadir (Lebanon): the feasibility study, including missing networks for the Greater Ghadir Basin, is expected to be completed before the end of 2012. Both key government counterparts promoting this project (CDR and the Ministry of Energy & Water) are committed to bringing this project to fruition. EIB is planning to initiate the appraisal procedures during the first quarter of 2013.