Protecting the Environment
USAID Mission Director Howard Sumka opens a water pipe together with Minister of Local Governance, Ziad El Bandak, and other Palestinian officials at the inauguration of a $45 million USAID water project in the West Bank town of Bani Naim. (Photo: USAID)
MIDDLE EAST BUREAU ENVIRONMENT PROGRAMS
Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, West Bank/Gaza, and Yemen
CONTACTS
John Wilson
Bureau Environment Officer
Tel: (202) 712-4633
Email: jwilson@usaid.gov Overview
The continued social and economic development of the Middle East rests on the responsible stewardship and sustainable use of its natural resources. The challenge is great: demands on the environment and for energy are intensifying due to population growth. Weak governance and poverty also complicate efforts to protect the environment and mitigate climate change. USAID addresses these challenges as described below and reviews all of its programs for potential environmental impacts.
Programs
Making Clean Water Available to Communities
USAID has launched a Blue Revolution Initiative that aims to increase access to safe water and improved sanitation for security, prosperity, and health in the Middle East. Through this initiative, USAID works in partnership with other federal agencies, national and local governments, regional organizations, other donors, and the private sector to reduce tensions associated with water. The initiative also promotes more efficient use of water; improves utility operations and service delivery; and increases municipal and private financing for water supply and sanitation. In Iraq, Jordan, and Morocco, USAID has facilitated the use of treated wastewater for agricultural irrigation, helping to conserve water in regions where freshwater is scarce. In Lebanon, USAID is helping the country’s four water establishments attain financial and operational sustainability through staff capacity building; capital investment planning; improvements in operations, financial management, and customer outreach; and investments in infrastructure. In the West Bank and Gaza, USAID has provided 740,000 Palestinians with access to potable water and nearly one million Palestinians with improved sewage systems
Partnering with Governments
USAID works closely with governments in the Middle East on priority environmental initiatives. These include improving sustainable approaches and policies that protect natural resources and allow economic growth, strengthening the capacity of institutions involved in environmental management, and supporting the establishment of appropriate monitoring and enforcement programs. In Jordan, USAID partners with the National Park Service and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to assist the Jordanian government in training park rangers and Royal Rangers to protect the environment in Jordan, especially tourism and ecotourism sites.
Reducing Pollution
In Iraq, USAID recently funded the construction, operation, and maintenance of several wastewater treatment plants covering five million people, significantly reducing the pollution of waterways. In Lebanon, three USAID-funded wastewater facilities will ultimately treat 8,000 cubic meters of domestic wastewater that is being dumped into the Litani River. Approximately 43,000 people in eight villages will benefit from a cleaner environment and improved health conditions.
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