Khaberni - The Cabinet decided in its session held on Monday, chaired by Prime Minister Jaafar Hassan, to approve a number of measures related to the initiation of the National Water Carrier project.
The measures included completing matters related to connecting the project to the energy systems, in coordination between the Ministry of Water and Irrigation and the National Electricity Company, as a necessary step prior to the start of the project and its connection to the national electricity grid.
In the same context, the Cabinet approved an agreement with the French Development Agency to contribute to the financing of the National Water Carrier project, valued at $97 million, within the framework of the government's endeavor to complete the financial closure of the project and begin actual implementation.
The government had signed the final technical and legal agreement for the National Water Carrier project last April, paving the way for the financial closure of the project and the commencement of construction works, with costs amounting to about $5.8 billion.
The National Water Carrier project is the first of its kind and magnitude in the history of the kingdom, combining several strategic pillars. These include desalinating 300 million cubic meters of seawater annually and creating pumping systems to raise water to elevations up to 1100 meters above sea level through pipelines extending about 450 kilometers, in addition to heavily relying on renewable energy using the latest eco-friendly technologies.
The project will provide about 40% of the kingdom's drinking water needs, forming a fundamental tributary in enhancing national water security.
