Ali Shaaban, Acting Assistant Undersecretary for Planning and Training at the Ministry of Electricity, Water and Renewable Energy, said privatizing the water sector is a top national and regional priority due to growing challenges in water security and resource sustainability.
He highlighted Kuwait’s commitment to enhancing Gulf cooperation by sharing successful experiences and tackling shared challenges, ultimately improving desalination systems and boosting economic and environmental efficiency, reports Al-Rai daily.
Shaaban made these remarks while chairing the GCC Water Desalination Sector Privatization Symposium, held at the Jumeirah Hotel, under the framework of the Desalination Experts Group of the GCC Technical Committees.
He welcomed participants, emphasizing Kuwait’s pride in hosting this key regional event aimed at strengthening collaboration in the water desalination field.
Dr. Mohammed Al-Rashidi, Director of the Energy Department at the GCC General Secretariat, echoed these sentiments, stressing that integrated Gulf water management has become a strategic necessity.
He noted that the GCC has made significant strides in privatization through effective public-private partnerships and praised the General Secretariat’s role in supporting this transition via a unified Gulf water strategy and the promotion of modern technologies.
The symposium addressed five core themes:
- The economic and social impact of desalination sector privatization.
- Success stories from GCC countries.
- Key economic, legal, and technical challenges.
- Proposed solutions for sustainable privatization.
- Enhancing regional cooperation and expertise exchange.
Al-Rashidi expressed his appreciation to Kuwait for hosting the symposium and hoped its outcomes would further strengthen Gulf collaboration in the water sector.
