Saudi Arabia, UAE’s Masdar ink MoUs on desalination, economic cities

The state-owned Saline Water Conversion Corporation (SWCC) on Wednesday inked a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Abu Dhabi Future Energy Co. (Masdar) and the Abu Dhabi-based Khalifa University of Science and Technology to fast-track the development and commercialization of sustainable desalination technologies, required for regional water security.

The agreement will strengthen cooperation to enhance water desalination economic and technical benefits, research and development, and innovation of new methods to reduce sustainable desalination costs, the UAE’s official news agency, WAM, reported.

The deal also explores opportunities for the SWCC to carry out Masdar’s advanced education and training programs in the Kingdom, GCC and Middle East and North Africa (MENA).

Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia's Economic Cities Authority (ECA) signed another MoU with the energy producer to provide various projects and services for the Saudi Economic Cities.

The preliminary agreement aims to enhance cooperation and knowledge sharing between both countries in planning future sustainable cities. It will also help the economic cities participate in the Kingdom’s development.