UN holds conference to develop Nassiriya marshes

THI-QAR / IraqiNews.com: A conference will be held by the United Nations in al-Nassiriya on Sunday to forge a five-year plan to develop the al-Jabayesh marshes in the eastern part of the city, a source from a UN agency in Thi-Qar province said on Saturday. “The conference, organized by the UNESCO, the UNICEF, the WHO, the UNIFEM, the UNEP and the UNFPA, aims to come up with economic development plans for the al-Jabayesh marshlands covering the sectors of education, health, environment, agriculture, housing, municipalities, water, sanitary sewage and women empowerment in the society,” the source told IraqiNews.com. Al-Jabayesh lies 95 km eastern Nassiriya and stands over an area of 600 square kilometers with a total population of 38,000. Nassiriya, the capital city of Thi-Qar province, is 385 km south of Baghdad. AmR (P)   1