EU provides funding for water project in Palestine

The European Union (EU) has signed an agreement to provide €22m in financial assistance to Palestine to construct a wastewater treatment plant in the city of Tubas, West Bank.

EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and European Commission Vice President Catherine Ashton said the EU’s investment will help improve the living conditions of the Palestinian population.

"Fully aware of the scarcity of water resources in the occupied Palestinian territory, the EU has identified water as one of the focal sectors of its assistance," said Ashton.

The funding, granted for the project under the European Neighbourhood Policy Instrument, is expected to save the limited groundwater resources of the occupied Palestinian territory.

The project will be the first in the country to re-use the treated water for agriculture purposes.