The government of the Arab Republic of Egypt has entered into a partnership with Russia in the seawater desalination sector in Egypt.
The partnership agreement, which particularly concerns the construction of a plant to manufacture seawater desalination components in the North African country, was recently signed between the Arab Organisation for Industrialisation (AOI), the Engineering Authority of the Egyptian Armed Forces, the University of Alexandria, and RUSNANO Group, a Russian innovation development institution created in the frame of Presidential Initiative termed “Strategy for Development of Nanotechnology Industry”.
The aim of the partnership
The objective of this partnership is to support the North African Country government’s plan to supply drinking water through desalination plants.
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The government intends to equip the country with at least 19 reverse osmosis plants by 2022, increase the number to 47 by 2030 and to 67 by 2050. These plants will be put up in coastal cities such as Nabq, Ras Sidr, Abu Zanima, Dahab, Nuieba, Arish 1, Arish 2, Arish 3, Arish 4, Sheikh Zayed 1, Sheikh Zayed 2, on the outskirts of Sidi Barani, West Port Said, Dabaa, Marina 1, Marina 2, Marbella and New Mansoura.
“Manufacturing equipment and components of seawater desalination plants with the Egyptian national expertise in partnership with the Russian side, using the technological capabilities of the AOI, will afford equipment with competitive prices. This will consequently help meet the needs of the local market and national projects,” said Abdel Moneim El-Terras, head of AOI.
Working with South Korea
The Egyptian government is already working with SepraTek, a membrane manufacturing and process company based in Incheon, South Korea to enhance Egypt’s national production in the field of water desalination.
As per a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed back in June 2019, the areas of cooperation with SepraTek include transferring technical expertise, localizing technology, and training cadres for the purpose of designing, developing, and manufacturing membrane production lines and producing pressure vessels in desalination plants by reverse osmosis system.
