Sustainability Jordan gets $250m funding to tackle water crisis Jordan has received $250 million funding from the World Bank to improve its water services efficiency. The funds will be used to rehabilitate water distribution networks, improve energy efficiency and strengthen the country’s drought management system, the World Bank said in a statement. An estimated 1.6 million people are set to benefit from the improved […] July 17, 2023
Infrastructure Egypt opens 17 infra projects for private sector investment Egypt has approved 17 infrastructure projects under its public-private partnerships (PPP) scheme, according to finance minister Mohamed Maait. The projects include three wastewater and industrial waste plants in Sadat, New Beni Suef and New Mansoura, and nine transformer plants and electrical grid projects in the New Administrative Capital, 6 October City and New Aswan City. […] July 14, 2023
Analysis Oil & Gas TotalEnergies pins hopes on desalination for Iraq project TotalEnergies’ $27 billion development deal with Iraq includes building a water desalination plant crucial to Baghdad’s efforts to raise oil production, but doubts persist over the financial and logistical viability of the long-delayed project. The multifaceted agreement signed on Monday foresees constructing a 1 gigawatt solar power plant, capturing waste gas from oil fields to […] July 13, 2023
Sustainability Abu Dhabi seeks proposals for new desalination plants State-owned Emirates Water and Electricity Company (EWEC) has issued a request for proposals (RFP) to develop the new Abu Dhabi islands reverse osmosis (RO) desalination plants. The Abu Dhabi Islands RO independent water project consists of two standalone greenfield low-carbon seawater desalination plants on Saadiyat and Hudayriat islands. Both plants will provide a combined 100 […] July 7, 2023
Manufacturing Food sector dominates new factories approved in Saudi Saudi Arabia approved licences for 53 new factories with total investment capital of more than $5 billion in April. The majority of new licences came from the food products industry, according to the latest monthly figures from the Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources, with nine new licenses approved. Other major sectors included non-metallic minerals […] July 6, 2023
Opinion Sustainability Wanted: more action and less hot air In the "Year of Sustainability" every area of Gulf society must play their part now June 27, 2023
Development Saudi Arabia to invest $320m rebuilding Yemen Saudi Arabia will invest SAR1.2 billion ($320 million) to help rebuild war-battered Yemen, the state-owned Saudi Press Agency announced on Sunday. The kingdom has launched a package of 20 development projects in Yemen’s Hadramawt province, which form part of the kingdom’s “continuous economic and development support for the country,” the Saudi ambassador to Yemen, Mohammed […] June 26, 2023
Opinion Sustainability The Gulf can spearhead sustainability through football The beautiful game is a formidable tool for increasing Arab soft power June 21, 2023
Abu Dhabi’s Taqa to buy local water firm for $463m Abu Dhabi National Energy Company (Taqa) has signed an agreement to buy UAE-based Sustainable Water Solutions Holding Company (SWS Holding) for AED1.7 billion ($462.91 million). Launched in May, SWS Holding took ownership of Abu Dhabi Sustainable Water Solutions Company (ADSWS), the entity behind the emirate’s wastewater collection, treatment and reuse. As part of the deal, […] June 21, 2023
Agriculture UAE’s ADQ backs solar-powered desalination plant Silal, part of Abu Dhabi-based investment and holding company ADQ, has partnered with Netherlands-headquartered solar thermal desalination company, Desolenator, to launch a pilot project using solar-powered desalination technology to produce pure water for irrigation. The project aims to contribute to the decarbonisation of food production in desert climates by significantly lowering the carbon footprint of […] June 11, 2023
Infrastructure Dubai’s Dewa gets 2 bids for $410m Hassyan water project Utility provider Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (Dewa) received two bids for its 120 million gallons per day Hassyan independent water producer project. Bids were submitted from Saudi’s Acwa Power and UAE’s Abu Dhabi National Energy Company (Taqa). Acwa Power sent the lowest water levelised tariff of $0.389 per cubic metre for the base proposal […] May 26, 2023
Energy Taqa and Adnoc pair up on $2.4bn seawater project Adnoc and Taqa, two of the UAE’s largest energy companies, have announced a $2.4 billion project to treat seawater and deliver sustainable water supplies to onshore operations. Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (Adnoc) and Abu Dhabi National Energy Company, better known as Taqa, will jointly hold a 51 percent majority stake (25.5 percent each) in […] May 24, 2023
Opinion Food & Drink The Arab world needs to ease global food trade barriers The region must embrace food imports May 23, 2023
Firms vie for $3bn Egyptian desalination deals International companies are vying for lucrative contracts in Egypt as the country embarks on a multi-billion dollar plan to develop desalination plants to help offset a looming water crisis. The Sovereign Fund of Egypt has pre-qualified 17 consortia – comprising a mix of local and global firms – to be invited to tender for developing […] May 9, 2023
Energy Revenues power up by 7.3% at Dewa Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (Dewa) has reported revenues of AED763 million ($207.78 million) for the first quarter of the year amid increased demand from customers across the board. The Dubai listed company’s first quarter consolidated revenue increase of 7.3 percent year-on-year to AED 5.44 billion was mainly driven by an increase in demand for […] May 8, 2023
Opinion Cop28 How Egypt can address its water challenges Egypt must bring in the private sector to help solve its water issues April 19, 2023
Sharjah seeks proposals for Hamriyah water project State-owned Sharjah Electricity, Water and Gas Authority (Sewa) has issued a request for proposal for the 90 million imperial gallons per day Hamriyah independent water producer (IWP) project to eight pre-qualified bidders. The utility provider has allowed bidders to submit their proposal by the beginning of August 2023, state-run WAM news agency reported. The IWP […] April 10, 2023
Banking & Finance Saudi fund loans $240m for Pakistan’s hydropower dam State-owned Saudi Fund for Development (SFD) has signed a $240 million loan agreement to support the Mohmand dam project, a hydropower complex in north-west Pakistan. The dam will contribute to Pakistan’s energy security, increase sustainable water supply for agriculture and human consumption, and improve flood resilience, the SFD said. Co-financed by the SFD, the Organisation […] April 9, 2023
Neom Renewable energy desalination is the way forward for GCC states Projects in the Middle East are seeking to increase their use of renewable energy desalination amid criticism of the traditional process as being high-cost and energy-intensive. The Mena region is expected to add an estimated 20GW of solar capacity and 5-6GW of wind by 2025, and the use of these sources is increasingly coming to […] March 28, 2023
Analysis Desalination spend on the rise in race against water crisis The UAE’s minister of climate change and the environment is clear about the importance of desalination, the process of removing salt from seawater. Speaking at the United Nations Water Conference in New York last week, Mariam bint Mohammed Almheiri quoted the country’s founder, the late Sheikh Zayed Al Nahyan, when she declared: “Water is not […] March 28, 2023
Opinion Sustainability Turning water and food shortages into global opportunity Research in the Middle East can play a transformative role in addressing water scarcity March 28, 2023
Opinion Sustainability How Jordan can reduce its greenhouse gas emissions It may emit less than some of its peers, but the country's climate goals are just as ambitious March 23, 2023
