Under the auspices and presence of Prime Minister Mohammed Shtayyeh two agreements worth $6.6 million were signed today with the Norwegian government to rehabilitate the electricity transformer substation in the west of the besieged Gaza Strip and provide over six schools in Jerusalem with solar power.
The two agreements were signed at the premier’s office in Ramallah by Zafer Melhem, Chairman of the Palestinian Energy and Natural Resources Authority, Norway’s Representative in Palestine Torunn Viste, and Yvonne Healy, Special Representative of the Director-General of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP).
The first agreement aims to rehabilitate the power transformer substation in the western Gaza Strip, with the support of the Kingdom of Norway, at a value of $4.6 million.
The second agreement aims to provide 15 schools in Jerusalem with solar energy, and the proceeds will be used for the maintenance and rehabilitation of schools in Jerusalem, at a value of $2 million with support from Norway through the United Nations Development Program.
The Chairman of the Palestinian Energy and Natural Resources Authority praised the Norwegian continued generous support stating that “we are working in accordance with the government’s vision to enhance the sources of renewable energy and develop the power transmission networks.”
For her part, the representative of Norway said that the agreements signed today aim at supporting and promoting the energy sector in Palestine, improving the lives of the Palestinian people, and achieving the renewable energy strategy and energy independence in line with the priorities of the Palestinian national development agenda.
She affirmed that supporting the energy sector in Palestine is part of Norway’s political commitment toward building state institutions.
In turn, the representative of the Director-General of UNDP said “this agreement came in conjunction with the occasion of the Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People; as we see the difficulty and obstacles faced by the children in Jerusalem on their way to schools,” adding that it is aimed at providing sustainable energy sources in order to guarantee the continuation of the educational process.
Source: Palestinian News & Info Agency (WAFA)