KFAED brings water to 1.6 people in Istanbul

It was through the contribution of Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development (KFAED) that the Greater Istanbul Water Supply (yesilcay System) Project was able to deliver water to some 1.6 million people out of Istanbul’s population of 16 million, an official told a Kuwaiti delegation here.
In remarks during a meeting with a delegation of Kuwaiti high achieving students on a visit organized for them by KFAED, official at the General Directorate of State Hydraulic Works Murat Alp said the fund shouldered 50 percent of the financing of the project. The fund pumped KD 42.3 million (over USD 140 million) into water projects for Greater Istanbul virtue of agreements signed in 1993 and 1999.
Upon completion in 2003, this was Turkey’s biggest water project, but the increase in the Istanbul population made it necessary to seek another project, which was the Greater Melen Project, partly supported by Japanese financing, the official said. “The plan set in motion by the Turkish Government means there would be no shortage in water supply in the city by 2060, thanks to new technology employed to bring in water even from remote sources.” In response to questions by the students on the relationship between the two countries, Alp said, “our nations share strong and long-established bonds, tested and proven during the 1990 Iraqi invasion and occupation of Kuwait and again when agreements were signed in various fields, including those in the water resources and sanitation sector.” The delegation went on a field trip to a site covered by the Yesilcay project 120 kilometers from Istanbul, and they were given an introduction to and information on a reservoir of water which flows down from the mountains. Engineers responsible for parts of the projects explained some of its details. They also shed light on the operation system at the dam in the location which collects water that is later pumped through a 45-kilometer pipeline to reach a treatment center, and then Istanbul.
One engineer said the daily average of water pumped in winter is 800,000 cubic meter, whereas Istanbul has demand of 2.4 million cubic meter.
In remarks to KUNA, student Ahmad Al-Khzam said he felt great pride at the immense Kuwaiti development contributions, which vastly outweigh its actual geographical size. The Saleh Shehab High School student added KFAED plays a key and praiseworthy role in supporting development initiatives and projects in the Arab World and beyond.
Al-Imam Malik High School student Mohammad Al-Qattan for his part said, “Seeing the extent and nature of projects financed by Kuwait abroad clearly reflects the great standing it now has among world peoples and nations.” Fellow student from Al-Waha High School Faris Al-Shimmiri remarked the efforts of KFAED and other Kuwaiti institutions in supporting development in other countries reflect the nature of the Kuwaiti people and their belief in global development and global interaction.
In total, KFAED’s 12 loans to Turkey to date came to KD 106 million, starting with a loan in 1979. Among the most important projects supported in Turkey recently were those related to reconstruction following quakes and natural disasters, with focus on improving infrastructure and systems connecting and serving the population across the City of Istanbul.
The Kuwaiti students are on a visit to Turkey part of the “Aim Higher” initiative organized by KFAED to encourage high schoolers to be more diligent with their study and to broaden their horizons and knowledge of their homeland’s contributions on an international scale.

Yorum Yok

Cevap bırakınız

Bu site, istenmeyenleri azaltmak için Akismet kullanıyor. Yorum verilerinizin nasıl işlendiği hakkında daha fazla bilgi edinin.