On March 23, U.S. Chargé d’Affaires ad interim Ambassador Richard H. Jones launched a major new United States Agency for International Development (USAID) project to support the water sector in Lebanon in partnership with the Ministry of Energy & Water. The five-year, $65 million Lebanon Water Project (LWP) will work with the four Regional Water Establishments of Beirut-Mount Lebanon, Bekaa, North, and South, and the Litani River Authority to increase access to clean and sustainable drinking water for Lebanese citizens, advance the efficiency and sustainability of the five water utilities, and improve Lebanon’s capacity in managing its water resources.
During the ceremony, Ambassador Jones reiterated the support of the United States government to Lebanon’s public sector and emphasized the importance of the LWP in improving the capacity of the water sector to provide quality services for the benefit of all Lebanese. He stressed that “water is a vital factor in the health and strength of any economy. This is why we believe that investing in water is more than just the right thing to do; it’s the smart thing to do.” The launch ceremony was also attended by the senior advisor to the Minister of Energy & Water, the Director Generals of the five water utilities and other stakeholders and donors in the water sector.
The U.S. Government, through USAID, has already invested over $180 million in the water sector over the past 15 years, enabling about two million people to benefit from improved water services including additional hours of coverage and enhanced quality of potable water. In fact, the Lebanese-American partnership in the water sector in Lebanon dates back to the 1950s and 60s, when USAID built irrigation canal networks along the Litani River in the Beqaa Valley and helped build the Qaraoun Dam in the Beqaa.
For more details about the Lebanon Water Project, please visit USAID’s website:
