West Bank and Gaza: Solid Waste Management
Over the last decades, West Bank and Gaza have suffered due to political and economic instability, resulting in years of inadequate infrastructure investment and poor provision of public services to the people of Palestine. The provision of standard municipal public services, especially solid waste management, was of particular concern. In response, the World Bank Group provided an integrated solution to the client, the Joint Services Council for Hebron and Bethlehem (JSC-H&B), leading to the successful conclusion of the first public-private partnership (PPP) in the West Bank.
The World Bank and other donors provided the necessary funding for a new sanitary landfill at Al-Minya but deemed that the local capacity to manage it was insufficient. Thus, the JSC-H&B sought IFC’s support to find an experienced private sector partner to manage the new facility through a PPP. To improve the sustainability of the project and the sector, the World Bank Group also structured an $8 million output-based grant from the Global Partnership on Output Based Aid (GPOBA*).
A Greek consortium, W.A.T.T. S.A.-MESOGEOS S.A. & EPEM S.A., won the tender. The operator will be responsible for the operation and maintenance of Al-Minya landfill and two transfer stations at Hebron and Tarqoumiya, which will improve the quality of services, reduce health and environmental risks, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The concession was signed in September 2013.
