The Kitchener Drain is the largest wastewater treatment plant in Egypt at 69 kilometers long starting and serving more than 11 million people in 182 villages
The Kitchener Drain Depollution project’s committee met for the second time, where the technical committee discussed the contracting procedures with several ministries and development partners’ representatives from the European Bank for Reconstruction Development (EBRD), and the European Investment Bank (EIB).
Established in 1899, the Kitchener Drain is the largest wastewater treatment plant in Egypt at 69 kilometers long starting and serving more than 11 million people in 182 villages.
The project aims to raise the efficiency of the wastewater plant and improve water quality and the health and environmental status of the citizens living in the area.
The meeting, held by the Ministry of International Cooperation was headed by Mrs. Sherine Taha, Assistant to the Minister of International Cooperation handling the portfolio of international financing and economic research institutions, with the participation of representatives from the Ministry of Housing, Utilities, and Urban Communities, the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation, and the Ministry of Local Development.
Currently, the project’s financing totals at €408 million, with development financing worth €213.9 million from the European Investment Bank (EIB), in addition to a grant from the European Union (EU) worth €25 million for the implementation of the first phase.
“The EBRD provided a development financing worth € 79 million, in addition to a grant of €8 million for the second phase related to solid waste management; moreover, EBRD funded the third phase focusing on the depollution of the drain and its efficiency upgrade with €69 million euros and a grant of €12 million,” wrote an official statement.
The meeting implements a decision issued by Minister of International Cooperation Dr. Rania A. Al-Mashat in September 2020, that forms a new technical committee for the Kitchener Drain Depollution project in order to discuss internal developments, and common areas of interest with international financing agencies to accelerate the project’s implementation and to achieve better results.
The Ministry of Housing, Utilities and Urban Communities is responsible for implementing the first phase of the Kitchener Drain Depollution project which encompasses the collection and treatment of wastewater.
The Ministry of Local Development is responsible for the second phase of the project focused on solid waste management.
While the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation is responsible for the third phase encompassing the depollution of the drain and its efficiency upgrade.
During the meeting, the committee agreed on four main recommendations.
Setting a timeline for consultants to work for each phase of the project and methods of implementation was a priority, with ensuring coordination of efforts and the smooth implementation of the project through better and more clear means of communications.
Thirdly, the completion of coordination between the three ministries and the Ministry of International Cooperation, in order to identify the challenges that the stakeholders face with foreign funding agencies.
And lastly, agreeing to proposed workshops in cooperation with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) to understand the development partner’s processes and procedures in regards to the development financing provided in order to ensure an effective cooperation.
