EU Expands Waste and Water Systems Project in Southeast Turkey to Support Syrians and Host Communities
Today, the EU Delegation to Turkey expands an existing waste and water project implemented by AFD (Agence Française de Developpement). The project concerns the construction and the rehabilitation of solid waste, water supply and waste water systems in different cities of South Eastern Turkey. With this new commitment, the total amount of the project reaches €278 million. The Head of the EU Delegation to Turkey, Ambassador Nikolaus Meyer-Landrut, the Head of the AFD Turkey Office, Serge Snrech and the French Ambassador to Turkey Hervé Magro participated in the signing ceremony.
What is the aim of the project?
The project aims at the construction and rehabilitation of solid waste, water supply and wastewater systems in Kilis, Şanlıurfa, Gaziantep, Mersin, Mardin, Adıyaman, Malatya and Hatay. It aims to provide clean water and clean environment to all people living in cities affected by the large number of refugee population. Under the project:
- 900,000 people will benefit of safely managed water;
- 2,3 million people will benefit of an improved solid waste service;
- Approximately 22 million m3 of drinking water will be saved per year (for instance via water leakages repairs);
- Discharge of around 4.5 million m3/year of untreated wastewater in the environment will be avoided.
In total, 8 municipalities and provinces will implement 19 subprojects.
In parallel with the physical investments, technical assistance and capacity building will improve the expertise of beneficiaries and may constitute the guarantee of optimal quality for works, equipment and operation.
AFD is going to work closely with ILBANK (Iller Bankasi) and all beneficiary municipalities as well as their water and wastewater Administrations. AFD is also contributing to the project with a loan of 63 MEUR and some 50% of the added amount. The action is innovative in this sense.
The Head of the EU Delegation to Turkey, Ambassador Nikolaus Meyer-Landrut, said on the occasion: “I would like to underline the level of commitment and the high degree of EU’s collaboration with all Turkish counterparts (VPO, ILBANK and all final beneficiaries) and AFD for preparing this contract for signature under difficult limitations due to pandemic. We are working hard to make sure all contracts are signed by the end of this year to contribute to Turkey’s efforts in supporting refugees and host communities under the €6 billion worth of Facility for Refugees projects.”
Background
The Facility for Refugees in Turkey:
The European Union has been supporting Turkey in response to the refugee crisis since 2011. Initial support was in the form of Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid (ECHO). Other EU financial instruments for medium- and long-term support were added later, responding to the protracted nature of the crisis. In January 2016 this support was substantially scaled up with the entry into force of the Facility for Refugees in Turkey.
Through the Facility, €6 billion has been committed to assist both refugees and host communities in Turkey, by providing assistance in key areas such as education, health, infrastructure, migration management, socio-economic development and humanitarian assistance.
The EU support to Syrians and host communities in the municipal services
This contract is the fourth and the last contract to be signed for a total commitment of €380 million from the EU under the Facility for Refugees in Turkey in municipal infrastructure.
The substantial population increase due to the inflow of refugees has put significant pressure on municipal infrastructure, especially in the provinces located in the southeast of Turkey. The objective of this global action is to support the construction and/or rehabilitation of municipal infrastructure in these provinces. The priorities under this action are increasing capacity in the fields of water supply and waste water systems, solid waste facilities and inclusive recreational infrastructure, while accompanying with soft measures when and where relevant (quality and sustainability of investments, increase of capacities of municipalities and Turkish partners).
For more information please contact:
Michel Cat- Programme Manager, Facility for Refugees in Turkey
T +90 312 459 87 00
For press inquiries:
Miray Akdağ - Press Officer for the Delegation of the European Union in Turkey
M +90 532 624 93 56 / T +90 312 459 88 77
