The MoU relates to Project Prosperity, which has two components: Prosperity Green and Prosperity Blue.
The governments of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, and the State of Israel have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP 27) to advance clean energy and sustainable water desalination projects announced last year.
The MoU relates to Project Prosperity, which has two components: Prosperity Green and Prosperity Blue. Prosperity Green includes a 600-megawatt (MW) solar photovoltaic plant, complemented with electric storage, which will be built in Jordan and produce clean energy for export to Israel. Prosperity Blue is a sustainable water desalination program, located in Israel, to export to Jordan 200 million cubic meters of potable water per annum.
The MoU was signed in the presence of Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation; Dr Sultan Al Jaber, UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and Special Envoy for Climate Change; and John Kerry, United State especial Presidential Envoy for Climate. The agreement was signed by Mariam Al Mheiri, UAE Minister of Climate Change and the Environment; Mohammad Al Najjar, Jordan’s Minister of Water and Irrigation, and Esawi Frej, Israel’s Minister of Regional Cooperation.
The three countries signed an initial Declaration of Intent to explore the feasibility of both projects at the Dubai Expo in the UAE in November 2021.
As per the MoU, feasibility studies for each of the projects have been ongoing and the parties affirm that both Prosperity Green and Prosperity Blue have positive potential prospects. The UAE, Jordan, and Israel will continue engaging to develop the necessary implementation plans in time for COP 28, which is to be held in the UAE next November.
Project Prosperity was proposed to help address some of the challenges posed by climate change on water and energy security in the Middle East, and to promote renewable energy, sustainable water supply, and stability in the region.
