Saudi Arabia Sets Up Water Transmission and Technologies Company

Minister of Environment, Water, and Agriculture Abdul Rahman bin Abdul-Mohsen Al Fadhli and WTTCO Chairman Engineer Abdullah Bin Ibrahim Al Abdlkareem, during declaring the establishment of the company
Minister of Environment, Water, and Agriculture Abdul Rahman bin Abdul-Mohsen Al Fadhli and WTTCO Chairman Engineer Abdullah Bin Ibrahim Al Abdlkareem, during declaring the establishment of the company
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Saudi Arabia Sets Up Water Transmission and Technologies Company

Minister of Environment, Water, and Agriculture Abdul Rahman bin Abdul-Mohsen Al Fadhli and WTTCO Chairman Engineer Abdullah Bin Ibrahim Al Abdlkareem, during declaring the establishment of the company
Minister of Environment, Water, and Agriculture Abdul Rahman bin Abdul-Mohsen Al Fadhli and WTTCO Chairman Engineer Abdullah Bin Ibrahim Al Abdlkareem, during declaring the establishment of the company

Saudi Arabia has launched a new company, Water Transmission and Technologies Company (WTTCO), which is one outcome of the Privatization Program in the Kingdom’s water sector.

WTTCO’s launch marks a major step by The Supervisory Committee for the Privatization of the Environment, Water, and Agriculture Sector towards restructuring the Kingdom's water sector.

The company would handle the management and maintenance of water transmission, distribution, and storage systems that span over more than 8,400 km and transmit more than 7 million cu m per day of desalinated water across the country.

WTTCO – fully owned by the government – will help "maximize the use of assets and achieve greater spending efficiency, while also decreasing supply chain costs".

Minister of Environment, Water, and Agriculture Abdul Rahman bin Abdul-Mohsen Al Fadhli said the establishment of WTTCO is a historic step in enhancing the efficiency and organization of the water sector while contributing to a prosperous future for the kingdom's economy.

The water sector will do so by attracting more than SAR60 billion (USD16 billion) in investment in water transmission and strategic storage systems, through the private sector's participation in funding future projects, he stated.

Engineer Abdullah Bin Ibrahim Al Abdlkareem, chairman of WTTCO, reiterated that the establishment of the company contributes to the development of the water sector supply chain.

He also reaffirmed the importance of WTTCO’s role in managing, constructing, developing, and maintaining water transmission, storage and dispatch systems, while adding more than 3,000 km of new transmission lines.

WTTCO will ultimately help to enhance Saudi Arabia’s water security and contribute to social and economic growth, therefore creating new opportunities for sector progress alongside additional gains in efficiency and further cost reductions.

This will be achieved through various avenues, including partnerships with the private sector and the self-funding of projects, the top official said.



Syrian President Begins Gulf Tour Following Easing of International Sanctions

A handout photo made available by the UAE's Presidential Court shows President of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Emirate of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan (R) and Syrian President Ahmed Al Sharaa (L) shake hands during their meeting in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, 07 July 2025. EPA/THE UAE PRESIDENTIAL COURT /HANDOUT
A handout photo made available by the UAE's Presidential Court shows President of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Emirate of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan (R) and Syrian President Ahmed Al Sharaa (L) shake hands during their meeting in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, 07 July 2025. EPA/THE UAE PRESIDENTIAL COURT /HANDOUT
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Syrian President Begins Gulf Tour Following Easing of International Sanctions

A handout photo made available by the UAE's Presidential Court shows President of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Emirate of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan (R) and Syrian President Ahmed Al Sharaa (L) shake hands during their meeting in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, 07 July 2025. EPA/THE UAE PRESIDENTIAL COURT /HANDOUT
A handout photo made available by the UAE's Presidential Court shows President of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Emirate of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan (R) and Syrian President Ahmed Al Sharaa (L) shake hands during their meeting in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, 07 July 2025. EPA/THE UAE PRESIDENTIAL COURT /HANDOUT

Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa has begun a tour of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, marking his second visit to the region and his first since most international sanctions on Syria were lifted.

The trip, which began in the United Arab Emirates, underscores Damascus’s push to reintegrate economically and diplomatically into the Arab world after more than a decade of isolation.

According to Syria’s state news agency SANA, the tour aims to bolster economic cooperation and attract Gulf investments to support Syria’s national reconstruction and development plans.

Al-Sharaa arrived in Abu Dhabi on Monday, where he was received by UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. The two leaders held official talks focusing on post-war recovery, economic partnership, and infrastructure development.

Speaking during the meeting, al-Sharaa said Syria has “turned the page on war and division” and is now focused on building “strategic partnerships” with its Gulf neighbors. He praised the UAE’s role in supporting regional stability and expressed interest in learning from the Emirati model in sustainable development, digital transformation, and clean energy.

For his part, Sheikh Mohamed reaffirmed the UAE’s full support for Syria’s efforts to restore stability and rebuild its war-torn economy. He stressed the importance of strengthening bilateral ties, especially in key sectors such as infrastructure, investment, and technology.