On the 23rd of March 2022, a successful Local Stakeholder Consultation took place in Barentu City, Eritrea which marked the launch of a new safe water project in the Bash-Barka region.
The project is in partnership with the Irish NGO Vita and aims to rehabilitate more than 100 boreholes in the region, to supply clean drinking water to the local communities.
The meeting started at 8 o’clock in the morning and lasted for several hours. Mr.Iyassu Ghebrerufael, country director of Vita Eritrea, chaperoned the meeting.
The half day consultation meeting was very interactive and saw the participation of a wide range of stakeholders: among others, local communities members and community leaders, government officials, water technicians, members of water committees. After the presentation of the project, the participants were invited to share their thoughts and questions and involved in group discussions on specific topics such as project benefits but also potential adverse impacts.
The meeting was closed by the governor of the Zoba, Mr. Mahmud Ali Huruy. In his speech, he thanked Vita and emphasised how this project “will secure safe and accessible water for the communities bringing relief for both the population and the administration of the region”.
To provide another opportunity to seek feedback on the project, the minutes and comments of the meeting have now been shared with the stakeholders. This represents the second round of the consultation and will last for a minimum of 2 months.
