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10 Alliances Seek Offshore Mining Opportunities in Saudi Arabia

Attendees as the launch of the Innovation Driven Desalination Conference in Jeddah on Monday. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Attendees as the launch of the Innovation Driven Desalination Conference in Jeddah on Monday. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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10 Alliances Seek Offshore Mining Opportunities in Saudi Arabia

Attendees as the launch of the Innovation Driven Desalination Conference in Jeddah on Monday. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Attendees as the launch of the Innovation Driven Desalination Conference in Jeddah on Monday. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Ten alliances are interested in mining the seas to extract sodium fluoride, minerals, and salts of the reverse water, announced the Governor of the Saline Water Conversion Corporation (SWCC), Abdullah al-Abdul-Karim.

Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat on the sidelines of the Innovation Driven Desalination conference in Jeddah, al-Abdul-Karim said that the SWCC is in talks with these alliances that intend to enter the market in July.

He explained that the Corporation presents many opportunities, including locally producing reverse osmosis membranes with advanced specifications that reduce energy consumption and increase efficiency.

Al-Abdul-Karim stressed that authorities are exerting efforts to ensure water desalination is crucial in increasing the local economic output and local content and reducing the cost of desalinated water production inside and outside the Kingdom.

The Governor added that the Corporation is cooperating with the US Energy Agency in extracting lithium from reverse seawater. Lithium is a crucial element in energy storage, and the world is moving towards energy storage and batteries.

All the industries offered by the Corporation need "innovative minds and bold investors" and tenders are available now, said al-Abdul-Karim, adding: "We are dealing with more than ten local and global alliances to work and implement these initiatives."

Saudi Arabia "is on the verge of many developmental and giant projects that the next stage requires, led by the government of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, and Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman."

The Governor stated that the Kingdom must maintain its leading position, indicating that Saudi Arabia is a pioneer in desalination.

"Today, Saudi Arabia is a pioneer in mining reverse water from the seas and maximizing the benefits in the industrial and health fields," he explained.

He added that the Corporation is aiming for the innovations to positively impact the environment, increase efficiency, and reduce costs.

"We will gradually increase the reduction of carbon emissions until we reach 34 million tons per year by 2024."

Upon completion, the systems will reduce state budgets and about SR8.8 billion worth of fuel used to produce water.

SWCC organized the Innovation Driven Desalination conference to explore the latest innovations and technologies in the water desalination industry with the participation of the International Desalination Association (IDA) and specialized companies.

Minister of Environment, Water, and Agriculture Engineer Abdul Rahman al-Fadhli discussed Monday many issues in the water sector and the mechanism for benefiting from innovations.

The conference is a global platform that brings together more than 120 experts, scientists, investors, and about 30 leading organizations in water desalination.

It also provides a significant opportunity to discuss the latest achievements and innovations in the desalination industry, which will help design a roadmap for a more sustainable future for the global water sectors.

Secretary-General of the International Desalination Association (IDA) Shannon McCarthy and Director of Desalination Technologies Research Institute (DTRI) Ahmed al-Amoudi discussed during the opening session the importance of innovation and its role in developing the desalination industry and its technologies.

Secretary-General of the European Desalination Society (EDS) Miriam Balaban gave a presentation on the "Milestones of Innovation in Desalination," followed by a presentation by Bernard Koh, the Assistant CEO of the Singapore Public Utilities Board (PUB), on "Singapore's Journey in Desalination."

ACWA Power Executive Vice President Thomas Altmann and Dr. Seung-Hyun Kim presented several ideas and initiatives during the "Breaking Cost and Energy Barriers of Desalination."

Deputy Research Director at the National Center for Artificial Intelligence (NCAI) at the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA) Abdulrahman Habib gave a presentation on "Innovation: Realizing the Future, Today."

The participants underscored the importance of shaping the future of the desalination industry to meet the needs of the global municipal and industrial sectors by enabling innovation and advanced sciences.

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FAO Aims for Key Outcomes at COP16 in Saudi Arabia

Preparations in the Saudi capital ahead of hosting the COP16 conference on combating desertification (from the “COP16” page on the X platform)
Preparations in the Saudi capital ahead of hosting the COP16 conference on combating desertification (from the “COP16” page on the X platform)
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FAO Aims for Key Outcomes at COP16 in Saudi Arabia

Preparations in the Saudi capital ahead of hosting the COP16 conference on combating desertification (from the “COP16” page on the X platform)
Preparations in the Saudi capital ahead of hosting the COP16 conference on combating desertification (from the “COP16” page on the X platform)

Dr. Abdul Hakim Elwaer, Assistant Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), stated that the organization will take an active role at COP16, the UN conference on combating desertification, scheduled to take place in Saudi Arabia in early December.

In remarks to Asharq Al-Awsat, he expressed confidence that the conference—the first of its kind in the Middle East—would produce significant outcomes.

Elwaer’s comments came during a roundtable organized by FAO’s regional office in Cairo, attended by a select group of media representatives. The session focused on FAO’s participation in the upcoming conference and the importance of the Rio Trio —the integrated framework of the three major UN conventions addressing climate change, biodiversity conservation, and desertification.

Fida Haddad, FAO’s Program Officer for Land Rehabilitation and Climate Change, highlighted the interconnectedness of the three conventions and noted that COP16 would place a strong emphasis on land and water rehabilitation and their sustainable management.

Haddad pointed out that approximately 90% of the Middle East is affected by arid conditions. Despite this, local communities and Arab governments have made notable progress in addressing desertification and drought. She also announced that, for the first time, FAO has successfully placed food systems on the COP16 agenda, enabling discussions on how land rehabilitation can enhance food supply chains and systems.

Elwaer underscored FAO’s central role in achieving the second Sustainable Development Goal (SDG): eradicating hunger. He emphasized that FAO actively engages in the UN conventions on climate change, biodiversity, and desertification, which collectively contribute to this mission.

FAO’s focus, according to Elwaer, is on transforming food and agricultural systems to become more inclusive, efficient, and sustainable, aiming for better production, nutrition, and livelihoods. He highlighted the organization’s success in integrating these priorities into the agendas of the three conventions and collaborating with host countries on joint initiatives.

He further noted that Saudi Arabia’s hosting of COP16 is particularly significant for the region, which faces pressing challenges such as water scarcity, desertification, and food insecurity. The conference presents an opportunity for Middle Eastern nations to highlight these issues, explore solutions, and ensure their inclusion in global environmental discussions, not only at this event but in future COP sessions, he underlined.

Elwaer emphasized the growing global attention on desertification, as it is now impacting regions previously unaffected, such as southern Europe and parts of Latin America. These areas are witnessing alarming declines in arable land and forests, prompting them to seek lessons from the Arab world, which has developed resilience strategies to combat desertification over centuries.

FAO will have a strong presence at COP16, with two dedicated pavilions—one in the Blue Zone for official delegations and another in the Green Zone to engage civil society and conference participants, he said.

He added that in collaboration with Saudi Arabia and the UN, FAO will lead coordination on Food Day and Governance Day, scheduled for December 5 and 6, respectively. The organization will also participate in other specialized sessions throughout the conference.