Prishtinë, 2 December 2011 – Ministry of Economic Development (MED) has signed a co-financing agreement with the Swiss Office for Cooperation for the Project “Rural Water and Sanitation Support Program, Phase IV” to be implemented in the Southeastern Kosovo.

The Agreement was signed by the Minister of Economic Development, Besim Beqaj, and the Director of the Swiss Office for Cooperation in Kosovo, Markus Baechler, and it envisages that the Rural Water and Sanitation Support Program, shall funded with 2,5 million CHF by the Swiss Government, and 940,000 Euros by the Kosovo Government.

On this occasion, Minister Beqaj said that the Swiss Government has shown a continuous dedication to improve the performance of Utility Companies in the Republic of Kosovo, with special emphasis for waters and building management capacities of utilities.

“We have an engagement of around 18 million Euros for a certain period in such projects and we are extremely grateful. Some months ago we have signed an agreement to provide support and enhance the management quality in public utilities, namely the Water Supply Company. Today, we are signing a very important agreement, to co-finance this program with the Swiss Government, through SDC and MED”, said Beqaj.

He said that this is about improving water supply and enhancing drinking water quality for the municipalities of Ferizaj, Gjilan, Suharekë, Viti, Kamenicë and Ranillug, (26 villages) which would ensure a supply of nearly 50,000 residents of these municipalities.

According to him, the project aims to improve human health and improve urban conditions, which is a need in all rural areas in the Republic of Kosovo.

The Director of the Swiss Office for Cooperation in Kosovo, Markus Baechler, said that the key objective of this agreement is to improve the health of the population and to improve drinking water supply in the rural areas.

He said this program has four components; first component shall enhance access to drinking water for the rural areas; the second component is on building sustainable operational and management capacities for irrigation systems in these areas, and their integration with licensed regional water supply companies; third component is to provide support to the regional water supply companies in terms of their financial sustainability, and; fourth component is on building institutional capacities and policies in the central level.

The total value of this project “Rural Water and Sanitation Support Program, Phase IV” is over 2.7 million Euros, a co-financing of SDC and MED.