IFC Supports Public-Private Partnerships for Solid Waste in the West Bank
December 22, 2011 - IFC is helping improve sanitation services for nearly a million Palestinians by advising West Bank authorities on how to include the private sector in the operational structure of a new sanitary landfill.
Some 34 percent of solid waste generated in the territory stems from two governates, Hebron and Bethlehem, and IFC will explore public-private partnership options for the management of an efficient waste management system in both cities.
“The private sector has the technical expertise and management capability to deliver the basic services that West Bank residents need,” said Luke Haggarty, IFC’s Senior Manager for Advisory Services in the Middle East and North Africa. “This project can demonstrate these benefits and open the door for increased public-private partnerships in the future."
The Al-Minya Landfill is expected to open in early 2013. Most solid waste in the West Bank is left in unregulated dump sites, and the new landfill, to be based on international standards, will dramatically improve sanitation services. This project would be the first public-private infrastructure project in the West Bank.
IFC’s mandate is to explore public-private partnership options for the management of an efficient solid waste management system in the southern West Bank. By acting as lead advisor, IFC will review legal, technical, and commercial aspects of the project to develop a sound transaction structure. IFC will then support the Joint Services Council in the tender process to select an appropriate private partner and implement private sector operation of the solid waste management system
This project is also supported by Spain, Austria, and the Public-Private Infrastructure Advisory Facility.
This initiative is part of IFC’s strategy in the West Bank and Gaza to promote economic development by helping provide residents with access to essential services. IFC has been active in the West Bank and Gaza since 1996, and committed more than $200 million in investments. In fiscal year 2011, IFC committed almost $22 million in West Bank and Gaza, and our current investment portfolio in the region stands at $145 million. Recently IFC’s focus has been in the financial and telecommunication sectors, with the goal to expand in other sectors, including public private partnerships.
Share & Bookmark
