France to provide euros 33.44 million for water distribution in Faisalabad

French government and Pakistan on Monday signed an agreement under which France would provide Euros 33.44 million for the modernisation of drinking water distribution network in Faisalabad, the 3rd largest metropolis of Pakistan and home to 3 million people.
The agreement was signed by Secretary Economic Affairs Division, Sibtain Fazal Halem and French Ambassador, Daniel Jouanneau. The project would connect half of the city's households to the drinkiing water distribution system In addition to the French assistance, the provincial authorities will invest Euros 13 million in civil engineering, management and training.
Speaking on the occasion, EAD Secretary, said that France was an important development partner of Pakistan and it has been continuously supporting development in Pakistan. He said that France was focusing mainly on the development of two important sectors including energy and water. Speaking on the occasion, French Ambassador said that France had pledged Euros 300 million at the Tokhyo Conference for Friends of Democratic Pakistan.
"We are on half of the way and we have fulfilled half pledges," the ambassador remarked. It is pertinent to mentions here that with the Faisalabad water project, and the total commitments reaching Euros 150 million at this date, France has already fulfilled half of its Tokyo pledges. The ambassador said that France was committed to support economic development of Pakistan.
It may be recalled that French Development Agency, AFD will finance the building or upgrading of hydropower stations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. It has approved Euros 26.5 million Jabban project in Malakand Division. Similarly, 68 Euros million Jaggran project in Azad Kahsmir is in final stages of approval while Euros 64.4 million Harpo and Basho project in Gilgit-Baltistan would be co-financed in 2011.
Along with these projects, AFD jointly with Asian Development Bank, is funding an energy efficiency programme, to reduce the consumption of electricity for which first tranche of Euros 20 million implementation agreement has been signed with EAD. France has been also working for the development of water supply in urban areas and water treatment plant in this regard was inaugurated in Islamabad in January 2009.