Sana'a - New York: Europe and the Arabs
The United Nations Country Team in Yemen welcomed the agreement reached by the two local water and sanitation authorities in Taiz Governorate, for the first time in nearly a decade, to jointly manage water supply systems across frontlines.
The United Nations Country Team in Yemen said in a statement that the technical agreement between the local water and sanitation authorities in Taiz City and Al-Hawban is an important step towards restoring basic services in one of Yemen's most water-scarce governorates, which will alleviate the suffering of hundreds of thousands of residents.
It added that this agreement is expected to contribute to reconnecting water and sanitation networks in Taiz Governorate and restoring basic services that have been disrupted for nearly a decade due to conflict and institutional division. According to the UN Daily News Bulletin, the statement explained that this agreement builds on the ongoing efforts of numerous organizations and donors who have provided technical and financial support and facilitated dialogue and coordination over the past years. It added that to enhance the provision of safe water in priority areas, the Yemen Humanitarian Fund will invest $2 million to connect 90,000 people, including internally displaced persons, to water networks as part of supporting the transition from humanitarian need to a sustainable development path. The UN country team commended the efforts of the local water authorities in Taiz, calling on donors and partners to enhance investments in water infrastructure to ensure that more than 600,000 people have access to safe water and reliable sanitation systems.