Rawabi, 23 October 2021
The Gaza Industrial Estate Rooftop Solar Energy Project of Gaza Industrial Estate (GIE), which was established by PADICO Holding, received the United Nations Global Climate Action Award entitled “Self-Reliance”, in the category of financing for the purpose of investing in environmentally friendly projects in cooperation with between the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the World Bank Group and PADICO Holdings. The UN Global Climate Action Award was announced in Bonn. The handover ceremony will take place at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) to be held in Glasgow next month.
The International Prize for Climate Action is a prestigious global award, which is granted by the United Nations World Climate Organization for the first time to Palestine, highlighting creative projects and the ability of peoples around the world to confront climate change.
Masri inaugurated the generation of electric power from solar energy project in Gaza Industrial City last March, in line with PADICO’s vision of investing in environmentally friendly development projects. This project is considered the biggest of its kind in Palestine and the second in the Middle East with a production capacity reaching 7.3 megawatts and a total amount of around $12 million.
The project provides electricity for all factors, commercial facilities and the international organizations existing in the Gaza Industrial City.
Masri expressed his pride that the project has been awarded this prestigious award by the United Nations, especially since it is considered an ideal solution to the large deficit in electrical energy that the Gaza Strip suffers from, due to the siege imposed on the Strip for 14 years.
Masri added that this award is to our steadfast people in Gaza Strip living under the siege with patience after the destruction to heal their wounds. This strategic project has been launched to alleviate their sufferings and to contribute to strengthening the economic structure there, despite the destruction of a large part of it during the last aggression on the Gaza Strip, which incurred Gaza Industrial Estate losses exceeding $12 million. Moreover, this award confirms the capability of our people to build their state and economy through sustainable projects. We have a strong will and solid determination to build the economies of countries and today we seek to advance our state and people.
In his turn, Khaled Anabtawi, Chairman of the Board of Directors of PADICO (the developer of Gaza Industrial City), said that the project contributed to the high rates of operation and the reduction of production costs in Gaza Industrial City, as a result of the availability of a permanent and uninterrupted source of electricity, which means creating additional job opportunities. This greatly affected the private sector and economic facilities in Gaza, and today the factories in JAIP are working permanently with regular electricity and at a lower tariff.
He added that PADICO staff has worked for long years on this project challenging several difficulties and obstacles in order to bring in materials and special solar cells in the construction of the project. But thanks to God and everyone’s efforts, we have overcome that and were able to complete the project in record time.
He pointed out that this is the second international award granted to this electricity generation project from solar energy on rooftops in Gaza Industrial City, where the project received the Excellence Award from the World Bank Group in 2019, in recognition of the efforts it made in overcoming all risks to ensure the sustainability of the project that meets one of the main needs in the sector.
