Minister of State, Minister of Hydrocarbons and Mines, Mohamed Arkab, received Turki bin Saeed Al Omari, the CEO of Saudi Arabia’s Abunayyan Holding, at the ministry headquarters on Tuesday. The meeting, attended by the Saudi Arabian Ambassador to Algeria, Abdullah bin Nasser Al Busairi, Sonatrach CEO, Nourredine Daoudi, and the CEO of the Algerian Water Desalination Company, Bada Lahcen, alongside ministry officials, focused on potential collaborations and investments in seawater desalination and related infrastructure.
Discussions centered around Algeria’s national seawater desalination program, aimed at bolstering the nation’s water security and meeting the increasing demand for drinking water, particularly in densely populated areas and the highlands. Arkab presented an overview of the program, which seeks to establish new desalination plants to cover approximately 62% of the national drinking water needs, excluding groundwater sources. The plan includes distributing desalinated water over a distance of at least 250 kilometers from the coast.
The meeting also highlighted the experience of WETICO, a subsidiary of Abunayyan Holding, which has been involved in the implementation of desalination plants in Bejaia, El Tarf, and Cap Djinet, showcasing the existing level of cooperation and expertise in this crucial sector.
The CEO of Abunayyan Holding expressed the group’s desire to strengthen its industrial presence in Algeria and localize the manufacturing of seawater desalination equipment, particularly membranes, along with other components and equipment related to the water production chain. He also indicated the group’s readiness to explore opportunities for technology transfer and develop local industrial partnerships, aligning with Algeria’s efforts to promote national integration and strengthen the industrial fabric in strategic areas, especially water desalination and energy.
This partnership signifies a strong commitment to addressing Algeria’s water challenges and fostering sustainable development through innovative solutions and strategic alliances.
