Nov 30 2010
The $100 million agro-industrial park funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) in Jericho will have solar power facility. The agro industrial park aimed to assist the Palestinian industries in their exports is financed by the ‘corridor for peace and prosperity,’ initiative of Japan.
The park will assist the Palestinians to sell their products in the overseas markets by routing them through Jordan to dodge the Israeli checkpoints that prevent smooth flow of goods.
The proposed solar energy project in addition to offering enough power to the industrial park will also assist nearly 20,000 houses to utilize clean solar power. The solar plant will also help the Palestinian Authorities who currently rely on Israel grid for power supply. The plant expected to be constructed in September 2011 is in the process of requesting tenders to commence the building of the plant. Presently Israel is also pursuing the installation of a good number of solar projects in its arava and southern Negev regions. Recently Palestine Polytechnic University in Hebron, conducted a workshop on sustainable energy for four days and the workshop was co-sponsored by the USA.
Hideki Matsunaga, who works as director in JICA’s Middle East Division, at the Middle East and Europe Department, said that the businesses and industries owned by Palestinian’s, which are located over the West bank, endure power and water shortages due to a number of check points and other restrictions imposed by Israel. He praised the supportive assistant extended to the project by Jordan and said that the park will improve the business between West Bank and Jordan and will help in boosting the economy of the country.
Source: http://www.jica.go.jp/