Minister of Water and representative of UNICEF discuss organization’s continued support for water and environmental sanitation sectors

The Caretaker Minister of Water and Environment, Engineer Abdul Raqeeb Al-Sharmani, discussed with the UNICEF Resident Representative in Yemen, Peter Hawkins, on Monday aspects related to UNICEF's continued support for the water and environmental sanitation sectors, within The plan of the Ministry, its institutions and bodies, and UNICEF for the year 2024. The meeting, which was attended by the head of the Water Resources Authority, Engineer Hadi Quraia, and the head of the Water and Sanitation Department at UNICEF, Peter Harvey, touched on the level of partnership with UNICEF in implementing sustainable projects, expanding renewable energy projects, supporting local water and sanitation institutions, and the mechanism for providing materials to the emergency unit of the Rural Water Projects Authority for emergency interventions. The meeting reviewed the projects that were implemented with UNICEF support, the feasibility of local communities benefiting from them, and the emphasis on implementing sustainable projects and reducing emergency interventions except in necessary cases. In the meeting, the Caretaker Minister of Water and Environment stressed the keenness to continue coordination with UNICEF, to implement water and sanitation projects, especially sustainable projects, as a translation of the directives of the Revolutionary Leadership and the Supreme Political Council in this regard. He stressed the need for UNICEF to continue supporting the units affiliated with the Ministry with the necessary operational expenses. He considered UNICEF the main partner to support the efforts of the Ministry of Water in implementing interventions in the water and environmental sanitation sectors, because of this importance in the continuation of its work. Minister Al-Sharmani noted UNICEF's support for water and sanitation projects, and its interventions in camps for displaced people in Taiz province, expressing the appreciation of the leadership of the Ministry of Water for the continued implementation of intervention s to alleviate the conditions and suffering of the displaced in light of the circumstances the country is going through. He expressed hope that UNICEF would pay attention to the local sanitation institution in the capital secretariat and give it a larger share of the projects, in addition to supporting the General Authority for Water Resources in the issue of water sources, management and development. For his part, the UNICEF representative in Yemen confirmed that the organization is committed to financing and supporting projects in the water sector. He appreciated the level of cooperation and facilities provided by the leadership of the Ministry of Water and its affiliated bodies and institutions, pointing out the importance of raising the level of cooperation and partnership in a way that serves the local community and alleviates its suffering. The meeting was attended by the National Coordinator of the Water and Environmental Sanitation Cluster, Engineer Tawfiq Al-Haroush, the Directors of the Emergenc y Unit at the Rural Projects Authority, Abdul Karim Al-Akhram, and the Operations Engineer, Arif Al-Thour. Source: Yemen News Agency