From The Daily Star: World Bank lends Lebanon $200 million for water project

BEIRUT: The Lebanese government signed Wednesday a $200 million World Bank loan to finance a $370 million project aiming to supply Beirut with water from the Awali River.

The step had been delayed from December 2010, when the World Bank board of directors approved the loan for the project, which the bank calls the Greater Beirut Water Supply Project.

The government was due to sign the agreement months ago after the Cabinet finally approved it last October.

“The project will provide 40 million cubic meters from the Awali River and will provide areas in Beirut lying bellow 300 meters all the way from Khalde to Nahr al-Mot. We are talking about providing [better access to] water for up to 1.6 million people,” Energy and Water Minister Gebran Bassil said during the signing ceremony in Beirut.

For more, please see this: http://www.dailystar.com.lb/Business/Lebanon/2012/Feb-09/162705-world-bank-lends-lebanon-$200-million-for-water-project.ashx#axzz1lxVFLL40