UNRWA's Gaza Operations Director praises CMWU on his first visit since taking office, discussing strengthening joint cooperation.
In His First Visit to the Utility Since Taking Up His New Position..
UNRWA's Gaza Strip Operations Director Praises CMWU.
Gaza - CMWU received at its main headquarters a delegation from the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees "UNRWA," headed by Mr. Matthias Schmale, UNRWA's Gaza Strip Operations Director, who recently took up his position succeeding Mr. Bo Schack, with this visit aiming to review the current water situation in the Gaza Strip, and to closely learn about the efforts made by CMWU, and the most prominent projects and services it provides to residents, as well as the most prominent obstacles it faces amid the worsening water crisis in the Strip.
The delegation was received by Dr. Majed Awni Abu Ramadan, Chairman of CMWU's Board of Directors, Eng. Monther Issa Shoblaq, the Utility's Director-General, and Eng. Maher Al-Najjar, Deputy Director-General of the Utility, with Dr. Abu Ramadan welcoming Mr. Schmale and his accompanying delegation, and praising the importance of this visit and the great keenness it represents from UNRWA to support the water and sanitation sector, expressing his great appreciation for this distinguished interest.
Dr. Abu Ramadan explained to the guest and his accompanying delegation the history of CMWU's establishment, until it became one of the most important service institutions in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, and its success in attracting the interest of numerous international donor institutions, and its inauguration of the largest strategic projects specific to the water and sanitation sector, with the scale of CMWU's achievements in infrastructure projects in the fields of water, sanitation, and rainwater reaching about $500 million, with Dr. Majed Abu Ramadan explaining the overall services CMWU carries out for residents of the Gaza Strip's cities and camps, which represents the common ground between the Utility and the Agency through providing basic services to about 80% of the Palestinian camps' residents, affirming the necessity for coordination and cooperation between CMWU and UNRWA in order to continue improving water and sanitation services.
In turn, Eng. Monther Shoblaq affirmed the importance of this visit as it comes at a time when the Gaza Strip still suffers from numerous challenges, foremost among them the continuing Israeli siege on the Gaza Strip and the worsening electricity crisis, praising the great cooperation and distinguished partnership between the Utility and UNRWA over many years, with Shoblaq also explaining to the visiting delegation the details of the current water crisis, its causes and challenges, and the projects and efforts CMWU is undertaking to overcome these problems and develop the water and sanitation sector, with Eng. Shoblaq addressing the joint projects between the Utility and UNRWA, which relied mainly on cooperation and coordination, particularly during the implementation of the Saudi Housing project in Rafah city, and the importance of continuing coordination and cooperation to reach the best levels of water and sanitation services.
In turn, Mr. Schmale praised CMWU's prominent role in the field of water and sanitation services in the Gaza Strip, and the achievements made in numerous qualitative projects supported by numerous UN bodies and donor institutions, affirming UNRWA's keenness on continuing to support these important and fundamental projects, and its great interest in improving the quality of services provided to residents through CMWU, and its readiness and that of UNRWA's various relevant departments to cooperate with CMWU in everything possible in order to limit the environmental and health problems resulting from the deterioration of water quality, and cooperating with the Utility in its programs aiming to improve bill collection in order to cover the operating expenses of water and sanitation services.
The two parties agreed to continue meetings and coordinate efforts to enable the Utility to supply UNRWA's camps, schools, and clinics with the best water and sanitation services, and support the Utility's programs to improve bill collection.
