The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is negotiating with the public private partnership (PPP) unit of Egypt’s ministry of finance over possible private sector involvement in the unit’s infrastructure projects including a desalination facility.
Country director for the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) in Egypt, Philipter Woort, told Egypt media that these infrastructure projects included water and wastewater plants.
Ter Woort said the bank is working closely with the PPP unit and its head, Ater Hanoura, on a wide range of projects, including supporting the PPP Unit through a strategy study to develop the use of the Nile for cargo shipment.
For the seawater desalination projects in Safaga, El-Alamein, and Al-Tor, the PPP unit agreed with the EBRD to finance the appointment of advisors to offer a seawater desalination plant.
The Safaga Sea Water Desalination project’s tendering procedures will start in November. The project funding amounted to EGP 450 million (US$ 55 million).
The El-Tor Sea Desalination Plant’s funding amounted to EGP 250 million (US$ 30 million) and the EBRD financed the advisory company Atkins to tender the desalination projects, according to the PPP unit’s data.
The current portfolio of the EBRD’s projects in Egypt is some € 740 million (about US$ 800 million).