Identifier | Created | Classification | Origin |
---|---|---|---|
04DJIBOUTI300 | 2004-03-03 13:53:00 | UNCLASSIFIED | Embassy Djibouti |
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available. |
UNCLAS DJIBOUTI 000300 |
1. (U) SUMMARY: Ambassador Marguerita D. Ragsdale represented the U.S. in signing a grant agreement 3 March 2004 between the U.S. Trade and Development Agency and the Office National des Eaux de Djibouti (ONED) to fund a feasibility study for a Desalinization Plant for Djibouti City. END SUMMARY. 2. (U) In a ceremony in the Ambassador's office March 3, Ambassador and Mr. Abdulkader Kamil, Director General, signed a grant agreement between the U.S. Trade Development Agency and the Office National des Eaux de Djibouti (Djibouti National Office of Water) or ONED. The agreement funds a $276,000 feasibility study for a Desalinization plant for Djibouti City. 3. (U) The Government of Djibouti strongly believes that desalinization is the most viable alternative for Djibouti. In recent years, the quality of water has deteriorated due mainly to overexploitation and non- renewal of the water reserve, due to lack of rainfall. The Japanese have assisted ONED in drilling new wells and rehabilitating the existing wells, but this does not seem to fully solve the problem. Currently, the water supply cannot meet the increasing demand and the situation may become even more dire in the coming years. ONED has come to its last two options; a desalinization plant within the city or development of wells in the Hanle region, some 200 kilometers from the city. The cost of an extensive network of piping needed to transport the water from the Hanle wells is a crucial factor in the decision. A desalinization plant also has possible benefits for the Livestock Holding Facility project currently being researched by USAID. In addition to U.S. involvement in water studies, the President's Advisor on Investment, Fahmi Ahmed Al-Hag, said that the Saudis are conducting a cost comparison study of the two options. 4. (U) ONED falls under the auspices of the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Sea. It is the Djiboutian government entity in charge of water supply and Hydraulic Resources in all five districts in Djibouti. Djibouti City and other towns in the district are supplied by deep wells drilled by ONED services, while smaller villages in the country use underground cisterns and shallow wells. Djibouti City has some 30 wells within its boundaries to serve its roughly 200,000 person population. RAGSDALE |