19 December 2012: The European Union (EU) has announced it will help construct a desalination plant to provide 25% of the population of Djibouti with water. The plant will use renewable energy to supply drinking water at affordable rates.

The EU project, “Producing Safe Drinking Water with Renewable Energy” (PEPER), will produce 22,500 cubic meters of water per day, powered by an associated wind farm. The project is part of the EU’s Sustainable Energy for All initiative and is in line with commitments made by the EU at the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD or Rio+20).

The project aims to improve the water security of Djibouti, and particularly of the city of Balbala, as water demand has outstripped the only available water source, a local aquifer. By increasing supply, the project aims to reduce the risk of acute water shortages in the near term, which have already led to both food crises and to riots and fighting. The EU will support the project with a contribution of €40.5 million. [EU Press Release]