Governor of Makkah Province Prince Abdulmajeed bin Abdulaziz and Minister of Water and Electricity Abdullah Al-Hussein will make keynote speeches at the forum on water and power scheduled for November 12 to 14 in Jeddah. The forum reflects growing concern about the country’s supplies of drinking water. Attending will be businessmen involved in desalination plants and the generation of electricity as well as government officials who will explain the Kingdom’s 25-year plan for water and power. Since the sector is earmarked for privatization, one of the forum’s main topics will be investment opportunities.

As Saudi Arabia’s population continues to grow and its industrial activities increase, 21 water and electricity projects have been announced, at a total cost of over SR48 billion [U.S.$13 billion]. During the current year, the government has already spent SR17.2 billion [$4.6 billion] on new water-related projects. The total investment required over the next two decades is estimated at around SR100 billion [$26 billion].

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