A helping hand for Tunisia: The Tunisian government and the World Bank have signed a EUR 113.6 mn loan agreement to back the country’s Sanitation Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Support project, according to a statement released this week. The project aims to enhance the quality of wastewater management services in select areas in the country and support the country’s National Office of Sanitation of Tunisia (ONAS) management of PPP contracts for sanitation services provision.

What we know about the project: The project comes under the government’s steps through ONAS to develop PPPs through regional public service delegation contracts, the statement said. It will be structured under three main components: wastewater management infrastructure rehabilitation and retrofitting, wastewater management infrastructure operation and maintenance, and institutional backing and project management for ONAS.

What they said: “This project will support improved water supply and sanitation services for an estimated two mn direct beneficiaries — more than 500k households — in six governorates during the ten years of implementation," said World Bank Country Manager for Tunisia Alexandre Arrobbio.

REMEMBER- ONAS awarded the Tunisian water industry's first public-private partnership to a consortium led by French water utility company Suez in April. ONAS chose Suez, Segor, SCET Group, and BIAT1 to operate the public wastewater treatment service for Sfax, Gabès, Medenine, and Tataouine governorates. The 10-year, EUR 200 mn contract will be financed by the World Bank and by the Tunisian state, Suez said at the time.