Jun 3 , 2023
Over 64,000 residents in Afar and the Southern regional states foresee a rehabilitation scheme through a three-year project with a 7.6 million euro deal to promote health care, education, clean water coverage and sanitary practices. It is part of a project undertaken by the Italian government and the UN organisation. The Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS) and the United Nations Office Of Project Services (UNOPS) struck the deal at the Italian Embassy. The project will be implemented in Chifra and Hamer Weredas with hopes of improving the quality of health, education, water and energy services through infrastructure development and capacity-building programs. Worknesh Mekonnen, the country representative to UNOPS, disclosed that the project is one of the Sustainable Development Goals, which aims to transform the lives of thousands with equitable access to hygiene and environmental cleaning programs and quality of education. Ethiopia is one of the least developed countries in clean water coverage and sanitary practices, where four out of 10 people do not have clean water access. According to the study undertaken by UNICEF, water-borne diseases constitute over 24pc of infant mortality. Agostino Palese, the Italian Ambassador to Ethiopia, disclosed that communities susceptible to conflict and climate shocks will see the rehabilitation of health centres, schools, and infrastructure for accessing clean water and sanitation.