The Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development, in partnership with the World Bank Group and the International Desalination and Reuse Association (IDRA), concluded a high-level discussion to support investments in water security across the Arab region, one of the world's most water-scarce areas.

Held at the Arab Fund Headquarters in Kuwait City from February 9 to 10, the two-day roundtable convened governments, development finance institutions, and private sector leaders. The event charted practical pathways to mobilize the capital needed to address regional water scarcity by advocating for the creation of an enabling environment and the de-risking of water projects.

Participants engaged in structured sessions spanning public–private partnership (PPP) delivery models, multilateral financing strategies, and private-sector innovation. Thematic working groups on desalination and water reuse technologies were complemented by dedicated country-level roundtables designed to match real-world solutions with demand.

The discussions set an ambitious tone, featuring opening remarks from Dr. Imed Limam, Director of Operations at the Arab Fund; Ms. Shannon McCarthy, Secretary General of IDRA; and Mr. Azhar Iqbal Hussain, Country Manager of the World Bank Group’s Kuwait Office. Keynote addresses were delivered by H.E. Ahmed Al Rumaithi, Undersecretary of the Abu Dhabi Department of Energy, and Eng. Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Sheikh, Vice President for Strategic Partnerships and Local Content at the Saudi Water Authority, underscoring the strategic priority Gulf states are placing on water infrastructure investment.

Senior government officials from Iraq, Jordan, Algeria, Morocco, Egypt, and Palestine showcased the role of PPPs in desalination and water reuse. Simultaneously, representatives from regional and global development finance institutions—including IFC, Saudi Fund for Development, the Green Climate Fund, BADEA, the Kuwait Fund, the Islamic Development Bank, and the European Union—discussed leveraging blended finance, risk mitigation, and green instruments, such as climate bonds and sukuks, to accelerate capital mobilization.

Private sector leaders from across the water value chain highlighted emerging trends in technology, innovative financing, and project delivery models shaping next-generation infrastructure. Discussions explored how the private sector is advancing resilient, bankable, and scalable solutions, including integrated models that combine technology, operations, and risk-sharing.

The second day featured thematic and country tables, enabling targeted business-to-government (B2G) and business-to-business (B2B) engagement to identify investment-ready opportunities in the municipal, industrial, and agricultural water sectors.