On September 25, 2006 KfW Development Bank, in Frankfurt, and the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO), in Berne, signed respectively the loan and grant agreements covering the financing of the 'Open Program Municipal Infrastructure II' aiming at the rehabilitation of the water supply and waste water treatment systems in the towns of Ganja and Sheki. Mr. Deputy Prime Minister Abid Sharifov had signed the same agreements on behalf of the Government of Azerbaijan on 30 August in Baku, Trend reports with reference to the statement of SECO.
Signing of these documents finalizes the preparatory works, studies and negotiations in the frame of this important project for the regions of Azerbaijan and officially starts the implementation phase. The consulting services necessary to assist AzerSu Joint Stock Company to implement the project are currently already being procured.
The Project will improve the quality and reliability of the water supply and sanitation services in Ganja and Sheki and build up the necessary capacities for a sustainable operation and management of the local water companies Ganja Sukanal OJSC and Sheki Sukanal OJSC. The project has a total estimated cost of EUR 55 million. Through the signed agreements, KfW Development Banks shall provide a EUR 37 million loan and SECO a EUR 10 million non-reimbursable grant. The Government of Azerbaijan has for its part agreed to contribute to the project with EUR 8 million. The project will form a decisive contribution to the improvement of the living standards of the urban population of Ganja and Sheki.