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Saudi Arabia Completes First Phase of Privatizing Water Distribution

Water distribution is one of the targeted sectors in the privatization project that the Saudi government is working on (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Water distribution is one of the targeted sectors in the privatization project that the Saudi government is working on (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Saudi Arabia Completes First Phase of Privatizing Water Distribution

Water distribution is one of the targeted sectors in the privatization project that the Saudi government is working on (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Water distribution is one of the targeted sectors in the privatization project that the Saudi government is working on (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Saudi Arabia’s National Water Co. (NWC) has signed two deals worth SR714 million ($190 million) with firms in the private sector to operate water and environmental treatment services in the western and northern regions.

This move means that the Kingdom has completed the first phase of privatizing water distribution in accordance with the ninth program of its national water strategy.

Moreover, NWC announced on Wednesday that it has signed two contracts worth more than SR 1.59 billion ($423 million) with private-sector consortiums under its Long-Term Operation and Maintenance Contracts (LTOM) program to rehabilitate, operate and maintain six wastewater treatment plants in Makkah and Jeddah.

The company announced via its Twitter account that it awarded an LTOM contract worth 392 million riyals to the Saudi consortium of Thabat and Miahona to rehabilitate, operate and maintain two sewage treatment plants in Makkah Al Mukarramah for a period of 10 years.

The second 10-year LTOM contract, worth more than 1.2 billion riyals, was awarded to consortium of France’s Veolia and Saudi companies Awael and Civil Works Company (CWC) for four wastewater treatment plants in Jeddah.

Saudi Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture Abdulrahman Al-Fadhli sponsored the signing ceremony of the contracts between NWC interim CEO Nemer bin Mohammed Al-Shebel and representatives of the Saudi-French consortium of Al Awael Modern Contracting Co., Suez, the Saudi-Spanish consortium of International Water Distribution Company (Tawzea), Alhaj Abdullah Ali Reza Company (HACO), and Spain’s Aqualia.

The Saudi-French consortium of Al Awael Modern Contracting Co. and Suez was awarded the SR 365 million ($97 million) management, operation, and maintenance (MOM) contract for the western cluster while second contract worth SR 349 million ($93 million) for the northern cluster was awarded to the Saudi-Spanish consortium of International Water Distribution Company (Tawzea), Alhaj Abdullah Ali Reza Company (HACO), and Spain’s Aqualia for the northern cluster, NWC announced on its twitter account.

The privatization contracts will contribute to boosting project implementation and help attract investments, said Al-Shebel.

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WTO Chief Calls for Calm amid Mounting Trade War

World Trade Organization (WTO) Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala speaks during the IC Forum at ETH Zurich, Switzerland, 27 February 2025. EPA/TIL BUERGY
World Trade Organization (WTO) Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala speaks during the IC Forum at ETH Zurich, Switzerland, 27 February 2025. EPA/TIL BUERGY
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WTO Chief Calls for Calm amid Mounting Trade War

World Trade Organization (WTO) Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala speaks during the IC Forum at ETH Zurich, Switzerland, 27 February 2025. EPA/TIL BUERGY
World Trade Organization (WTO) Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala speaks during the IC Forum at ETH Zurich, Switzerland, 27 February 2025. EPA/TIL BUERGY

The WTO chief called for calm Friday in the face of a swelling global trade war as US President Donald Trump slaps steep tariffs against friends and foes alike.

"I understand the enormous amount of concerns that people have about what is going on," Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala told a meeting at the World Trade Organization headquarters, insisting though that "we shouldn't panic.”

She downplayed fears that the new US administration, which has been harshly critical of WTO, might decide to withdraw, as it has done from the World Health Organization and other UN bodies.

Just back from Washington, where she met with US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, Okonjo-Iweala said "the indications I got is that they remain part of WTO.”

"They want to remain engaged," she told the event, adding that this could "give us room to (be)... I don't want to use the word hopeful, but I think it gives us room to believe that the US still find some value in being able to engage with other members at the WTO.”

"That is one of the reasons I think we should keep calm, we should listen to their concerns," she said.

Since his return to office in January, Trump has introduced sweeping levies against several top US trading partners.

Even though tensions eased a notch on Thursday, after the United States hit pause on the 25-percent tariffs it slapped earlier this week on most goods coming from Mexico and Canada, the standoff with China continues.

The European Union is also in the crosshairs, with Trump threatening the bloc with 25-percent levies, while also signing plans for sweeping "reciprocal tariffs" that could hit both allies and adversaries alike by April 2.

According to AFP, Okonjo-Iweala acknowledged during Friday's event, attended among others by former German chancellor Angela Merkel, that "what is happening now with the tariffs ... is challenging for the system.”

It is "a difficult moment,” she acknowledged, but added: "I will not agree that the system is in chaos or in turmoil.”

"Although the United States is very, very important for world trade, and of course sets a signal," she highlighted that "there is 80 percent of world trade going on among other members of the WTO.”

Other members are "trading among themselves according to the rules that exist," she said. "They should continue to do so."