A financial deal was recently signed for the first phase of the Kiffa drinking water supply project. Sultan bin Abdulrahman Al-Marshad, CEO of Saudi Arabia’s Saudi Fund for Development (SFD), and the government of Mauritania signed the deal.
According to the agreement, SFD will proved a $100 million soft development loan for the 1st phase of the project. The SFD investment is in response to Mauritania’s request for the mobilization of $317 million to implement the Kiffa drinking water supply project.
The Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund and the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development are also expected to fund the project. The Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development, and the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development will also contribute. Moreover, the OPEC Fund for International Development and the Islamic Development Bank will support the project. The development partners have already reached an agreement on a financial scheme.
Scope of the Kiffa drinking water supply project
The project entails the construction of transportation, treatment, storage, and delivery systems of potable water to the town of Kiffa. The water will be sourced from the Senegal River.
The Kiffa drinking water supply project is part of the Senegal River Basin Development Organization’s suggested water sharing mechanism. It aims to secure the supply of drinking water for around 550,000 people. As a result, the project will support food and water security while lessening disease rates caused by contaminated water.
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Alongside the financial agreement, Al-Marshad inaugurated three development projects in the water, health, and education sectors. These projects, respectively, are the $25.3 million Nouakchott Water Distribution Network Project, the $10 million Dialysis Center Project, and the $30 million New Campus Project.
These initiatives, according to Al-Marshad, will impact positively the social and economic development of the East African country. He said that they will for instance provide the required support for basic services. This will subsequently, promote positive opportunities for Mauritanian citizens to meet their daily needs and improve their social and economic levels.
