U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced the third USAID grant under the Nita M. Lowey Middle East Partnership for Peace Act (MEPPA) Partnership for Peace Fund (PPF) today in Jerusalem.
The $3.3 million grant to EcoPeace will address water security in Israel and the West Bank and Gaza. Over three years, the project will use dual-track scientific and grassroots approaches to build awareness, knowledge, and solutions to the challenges of water scarcity and climate change. The project will bring together Israeli and Palestinian scientific experts to cooperatively build solutions for equitable and sustainable use of shared water supplies. Meanwhile, the grassroots approach will develop educational materials for students and train teachers to increase awareness of both climate challenges and possible mitigation and adaptation measures.
USAID supports empowering young people to understand the transboundary water crisis and to be vocal supporters for water diplomacy and cooperative problem-solving that can build a broader peace. Through dialogue and workshops that bring together Israelis and Palestinians, this activity will not only address water scarcity, but also advance MEPPA’s objective of building the foundation for peaceful coexistence and a sustainable two-state solution.
For more information about how USAID is using the Partnership for Peace Funds provided through MEPPA to build people-to-people partnerships between Israelis and Palestinians, visit USAID.gov.