Who is Involved Duration and Cost Financing Focus of the Study Cooperation Among the Beneficiary Parties Civil Society / Getting involved Background Information Useful Links
Who is Involved The three Beneficiary Parties (Israel, Jordan and the Palestinian Authority) are owners and leaders of the Study Program. In addition, stakeholder groups and civil society representatives will participate in the Study Program through a formal and comprehensive stakeholder consultation and communication process. The World Bank was requested by the Beneficiary Parties to assist in two ways: raising the funds to undertake the Study Program; and to implement the Study Program.  Duration and Cost Work on the Study Program is estimated to take about two years to complete and should be finalized by June 2010. The total cost of the Study Program - including the Feasibility Study, the Environment and Social Assessment Study, study management, the Panel of Experts, stakeholder consultation meetings, and the World Bank Trust Fund audits and related expenses - is estimated at US$14.0 million.  The cost reflects the complex environmental, social, economic, and technical issues and concerns to be addressed.  It also reflects the cost of extensive public discussion and stakeholder involvement required of complex studies.  Financing The three Beneficiary Parties asked the World Bank to coordinate donor financing and to manage the study’s implementation. To this end, the World Bank has established a multi-donor trust fund and contributions so far have been received from France, Greece, Japan, the Netherlands, and the USA.  Other interested international donors are invited to examine the Study Program and to contribute to the implementation of the study.  Focus of the Study A possible Red Sea to Dead Sea water conveyance option was identified during the 1996 - 1998 Prefeasibility Study that was financed by the Italian government. The identified conveyance route was judged at that time to have the greatest likelihood of technical success and the least potential negative impact. The TOR for the current Feasibility Study and Environmental and Social Assessment Study requires a comprehensive investigation of the route identified in the Prefeasibility Study, including analysis of its environmental, technical and economic aspects, an extensive environmental and social assessment of potential impacts including the Study of Alternatives.  Cooperation among the Beneficiary Parties Joint preparation of the Terms of Reference, statements of support made by ministerial-level representatives of the Beneficiary Parties at the World Economic Forum in May 2005 and bilateral donors' contributions all demonstrate the formal commitment among the Beneficiary Parties to continued cooperation. Notably, these commitments were preceded by a lengthy process wherein multi-disciplinary teams from the three Beneficiary Parties worked together to draft the TOR. These efforts, which continued even in troubled times, demonstrates how the Study Program serves as an example of the peaceful and cooperative activities taking place in the region.  Civil Society / Getting involved As a private citizen you can follow the progress of the Study Program through this website. For residents of the region, discussions with stakeholders will be conducted throughout the Study Program’s implementation. The dates of the stakeholder and public consultations will be posted on this website as they become available.  Background Information |
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