The European Union, France, Germany and Palestine Launch the TAJDID Project to Strengthen Water, Sanitation and Agricultural Reuse in Jenin West

The signing ceremony was attended by the Minister of Finance and Planning, the Head of the Palestinian Water Authority, the Chairman of the Board of the Jenin West Water Utility, the Consul General of France in Jerusalem, the Representative of the Federal Republic of Germany, and the European Union Representative.

These agreements mark the official launch of the TAJDID Project (Treatment of Wastewater and Agricultural Reuse in Jenin West for Development, Investment and Decentralization), a strategic initiative addressing urgent environmental and public health challenges. The project forms part of the Team Europe Initiative (TEI) for Wastewater Management in Palestine and is jointly financed by the European Union, France through AFD, and Germany through KfW. The TEI was launched by the EU, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Austria, and Spain in 2023 in order to support sector reform, strengthen institutions, and accelerate investment in priority areas such as Jenin West.

With a total budget of approximately €31.7 million, TAJDID represents a major investment in the Jenin West area, a region facing significant environmental, public health, and infrastructure challenges. Two agreements were signed. The first is a financing agreement over €11.2 million between the German Development Bank KfW, the Palestinian Ministry of Finance and Planning (MoFP), and the Jenin West Water Utility (JWWU), signed by the Palestinian Water Authority. The second is a contribution agreement over €5.5 million between the European Union and AFD, also acknowledged by the Palestinian Water Authority.

The TAJDID project will support the development of an integrated wastewater management system in Jenin West. It includes the construction of over 100 kilometres of wastewater collection networks, a wastewater treatment plant with an initial capacity of approximately 3,700 cubic metres per day, and infrastructure for the safe reuse of treated wastewater in agriculture.

In its first phase, TAJDID will directly benefit approximately 36,000 residents across five towns in the Jenin Governorate-Al Yamoun, Silat Al Harthiya, Kafr Dan, Rummana, and Tinnik-while delivering indirect benefits to a wider population through improved wastewater management and reduced environmental risks. The project also responds to the broader context of vulnerability in the Jenin area, where repeated damage to civilian infrastructure, including water and wastewater systems, has affected service delivery. TAJDID includes an emergency-response component to enable rapid repairs and ensure the continuity of essential services.

"Today's agreements mark a concrete expression of Team Europe's commitment to Palestine's water sector. This is a concrete example of what coordinated European action can achieve-bringing together the EU, its Member States, and financial institutions to deliver real impact on the ground. Through TAJDID, we are turning wastewater from a source of pollution into a valuable resource, applying the principles of the circular economy to support resilience, public health, and sustainable development," said the EU Representative Alexandre Stutzmann, at the event.

"Water is life." This was highlighted by the Head of the German Representative Office in Ramallah, Mrs. Anke Schlimm. "Palestine has the right to make effective use and to manage its water resources according to the needs of its population. Germany has been and will keep on supporting you in this endeavour."

"This joint financing reflects our collective responsibility toward a region facing acute challenges and that deserves strong, coordinated support", as well as the importance "to strengthen institutions at every level, in line with the needs of populations, including those most exposed to vulnerability and instability", said HE Nicolas Kassianides, Consul General of France in Jerusalem.