Belarus joined Northern Dimension Environmental Partnership (NDEP) in 2010 and the first phase of wastewater treatment projects in Vitebsk, Grodno and Brest has now entered an implementation phase. NDEP grants of EUR 6 million have attracted IFI loans and additional bilateral grants from Finland and Sweden. The total financing package for the three cities is approximately EUR 70 million. Encouraged by this success, Belarus pledged new funds to NDEP to finance the next phase of additional wastewater treatment investments, potentially worth around EUR 56 million. For this purpose, NEFCO signed a Framework Agreement with the Government of Belarus on 20 January in London to step up their activities to protect the environment in the Northern Dimension Area.
Text: Ewa Manik
Associate Manager, NDEP – Northern Dimension Environmental Partnership
EBRD – European Bank for Reconstruction and Development
