HE Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture, Abdulrahman Abdulmohsen A. AlFadley, expressed gratitude and appreciation for the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, on the Council of Ministers' approval, in the session held yesterday, on the privatization of water desalination plants and wastewater treatment plants in different regions in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
AlFadley said in a statement that these projects are in line with the objectives of the National Water Strategy and Saudi Vision 2030 that aim to improve the quality of life and services, promote the participation of the private sector towards the achievement of sustainable development in Saudi Arabia.
AlFadley added that the approval came after the successful launch of the first projects over the past period which were marked by a high turnout of investment companies in the private sector, over 75 local and international companies. These projects also achieved unprecedented success in terms of efficiency and cost, which reflects the stimulating investment environment in the kingdom.
AlFadley pointed out that these projects will contribute to increasing the supply of desalinated water and the amount of wastewater to be treated, as well as contribute to raising the local content in terms of supplies and employment. He also pointed out that the wastewater treatment plants will also contribute to increasing environmental sanitation and increasing the utilization of renewable water resources for irrigation, afforestation, industry and other uses.
It is worth mentioning that the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture, aiming to achieve the Saudi Vision 2030, has developed a unified frame of reference for the water sector that includes a comprehensive water strategy that integrates policies, legislation and practices in the water sector at the national level with the main objective of facing the major challenges and restructuring the sector. This strategy includes stakeholder engagement and assessment of the current status of the sector, enabling a sustainable water sector to grow and conserve water resources and the environment, provide safe, high-quality and efficient services that contribute to economic and social development in the Kingdom.