Egypt has taken a further step towards strengthening its water infrastructure and industrial base, signing a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to develop, build, and operate a factory for producing seawater desalination membranes using reverse osmosis technology.
The agreement was signed under the auspices of Randa El-Menshawy, Minister of Housing, Utilities and Urban Communities, in partnership with CITIC Construction and ANCOM.
The MoU was concluded between the New Urban Communities Authority (NUCA), represented by Deputy Head Ahmed Ali, CITIC Construction represented by Deputy General Manager Ting Tao, and ANCOM Chairperson Hisham Sheta. CITIC Construction CEO Yang Jianqiang attended the signing ceremony via video conference, alongside senior officials from the ministry.
El-Menshawy said seawater desalination is a top priority for the ministry, driven by rapid urban expansion across Egypt’s coastal cities and the growing need for sustainable and secure water resources. She noted that Egypt has developed a comprehensive national desalination strategy extending to 2050, implemented through successive five-year plans, with a target production capacity of around 9 million cubic metres per day.
The minister highlighted that localising the production of key desalination components—particularly reverse osmosis membranes—represents a critical step towards reducing reliance on imports, lowering operational costs, and facilitating the transfer of advanced technologies. She added that the ministry is pursuing an integrated plan to manufacture desalination plant components locally in co-operation with global companies and the private sector, supporting the development of a sustainable industrial base and the creation of specialised job opportunities.
The project reflects Egypt’s broader strategy to deepen local manufacturing in priority sectors while expanding international partnerships, in line with the country’s Vision 2030 development goals.
For his part, Yang Jianqiang expressed appreciation for the collaboration, noting that the MoU builds on previous discussions with Mostafa Madbouly on strengthening co-operation in infrastructure projects. He described the agreement as a practical starting point for further collaboration and confirmed that the company will work to accelerate procedures to launch the project. Yang also highlighted CITIC’s global experience in reverse osmosis desalination technologies and reiterated its interest in expanding its footprint in the Egyptian market.
Under the MoU, the partners will develop, construct, and operate a facility dedicated to producing reverse osmosis membranes for seawater desalination. The factory is expected to help meet demand from existing and future desalination plants across Egypt, reinforcing the country’s long-term water security strategy and broader sustainable development agenda.
