Erbil: JICA Initiates First Phase of $288 Million Project to Recycle Heavy Water and Solve Sewage Problems

Today, Sunday, July 21, 2024, Erbil Governor Omed Khoshnaw received the new Chief Representative of JICA Iraq Hiroshi Suzuki and an accompanying delegation in the presence of Deputy Governor Massoud Karash.
 

In the meeting, attended by the Director of Joint crises coordination center of Erbil Governorate, the Governor congratulated Mr. Suzuki on his appointment as Chief Representative of JICA in Iraq. They discussed the Erbil Heavy Water Recycling Project, a strategic and important initiative. The first phase of the project, costing $288 million and implemented by the Japanese agency JICA, will treat household wastewater for reuse in parks and gardens and modernize the sewer systems. This will greatly benefit the citizens and Erbil as a whole.

In another topic of the meeting, the governor highlighted the agreement to amend Erbil's master plan in coordination with JICA. This multi-dimensional project encompasses various areas including design and urbanization, economic and social aspects, environmental concerns, water and sewerage, aesthetics, transportation, traffic, agriculture, irrigation, industry, electricity, health, and many other sectors in Erbil.

The governor emphasized that, due to Erbil's recent expansion, amending the master plan is crucial for further development.

He thanked the Ministry of Municipalities and JICA Japan for recognizing the importance of this work and prioritizing it.
 

For his part, the Director of JICA in Iraq expressed his pleasure at visiting the Kurdistan Region and Erbil. He thanked the Governor of Erbil and praised the peace, security, and development achieved in the city. Regarding the implementation of recycling projects and the amendment of Erbil's master plan, he appreciated the governor's role and reaffirmed the agency's full support and assistance to ensure these projects are implemented as soon as possible.

In conclusion, the governor thanked the Japanese government and JICA for their past assistance to the Kurdistan Regional Government and expressed hope that the coordination and cooperation between the Kurdistan Region and Japan will continue to grow.