Algerian Radio
The Minister of State and Minister of Hydrocarbons and Mines, Mohamed Arkab, received the CEO of the Saudi company Abunayyan Holding, specialized in the energy and water sectors, Mr. Turki bin Saeed Al Amri, on Tuesday in Algiers. Together, they examined opportunities for cooperation and investment in the field of seawater desalination, according to a ministry statement.
The meeting took place in the presence of the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to Algeria, Abdullah Bin Nasser Al-Bussairi, the CEO of the Sonatrach Group, Nour Eddine Daoudi, the CEO of the Algerian Desalination Company (ADC), Lahcen Bada, as well as executives from the ministry.
On this occasion, both parties discussed opportunities for cooperation and investment in the field of seawater desalination and associated infrastructure within the framework of the national seawater desalination program. They also discussed ways for experienced companies to contribute to the realization of strategic projects launched by Algeria to strengthen its water security, within the framework of the "privileged relations of friendship and brotherhood uniting Algeria and Saudi Arabia."
During this meeting, Mr. Arkab presented the broad outlines of the national seawater desalination program, implemented in accordance with the instructions of the President of the Republic, Mr. Abdelmadjid Tebboune. The program aims to build new seawater desalination plants to cover nearly 62% of national drinking water needs, excluding groundwater.
This program focuses on guaranteeing water security and supplying areas with high population density and the High Plateaus, with the obligation to transport desalinated water over a distance of at least 250 kilometers from the coast, the ministry specifies.
In this context, the expertise of WETICO (Water and Environment Technologies Company), a subsidiary of Abunayyan Holding Group, was highlighted. The company has already participated in the construction of several seawater desalination plants in Algeria, notably in Béjaïa, El Tarf, and Cap Djinet, reflecting the level of cooperation and expertise acquired in this strategic field, the statement reads.
For his part, the CEO of Abunayyan Holding Group highlighted the group's interest in strengthening its industrial presence in Algeria. He expressed his willingness to localize the manufacturing of equipment and facilities used in seawater desalination, particularly the production of desalination plant membranes, as well as other components and equipment linked to the water production and treatment chain.
He also expressed the group's readiness to examine opportunities for technology transfer and the development of local industrial partnerships, in line with Algeria's guidelines aimed at raising national integration rates and strengthening the industrial fabric in these strategic sectors, the statement concludes.
