Dubai, UAE – Metito, a global provider of intelligent water management solutions, has signed the Heads of Agreement with Kazakhstan Investment Development Fund (KIDF), Kazakhstan Centre for Modernization and Development of Housing and Communal Services JSC, and Akimat of Akmola region for the implementation of a transformative wastewater treatment project in the city of Kokshetau.

Signed in the Central Asia Pavilion at the 28th UNFCCC Conference of the Parties (COP28) last week in the presence of senior officials, including Kazakhstan Minister of Energy, Almassadam Satkaliyev, and Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources, Yerlan Nyssanbayev, the agreement is another key milestone in Metito’s expansion in Central Asia and marks the first Public-Private Partnership (PPP) in the water and wastewater sector in the Republic.

"Kazakhstan’s leadership is very forward-looking – President Kassym - Jomart Tokayev has stressed the importance of water security at multiple addresses throughout the year – including at COP 28 - highlighting the need for the accelerated introduction of water-saving technologies to mitigate a looming water crisis. We are honoured to partner with the government of Kazakhstan to support the realization of its water security goals through pioneering the first PPP of its kind in the Republic," commented Rami Ghandour, Chief Executive Officer, Metito Utilities Limited.

“Partnering with top-tier global firms like Metito can facilitate investments, recruitment of skilled professionals and cutting-edge technologies, fostering the advancement and enhancement of sewage systems. Given Metito's vast expertise across multiple countries, they can play a pivotal role in assisting Kazakhstan in its objectives related to wastewater treatment,” said Zhandos Temirgali, Acting Chairman of Kazakhstan’s national investment agency Kazakh Invest.

According to the United Nations Development Programme, Kazakhstan is experiencing shortages of water resources, with the country forecasted to face significant shortfalls amounting to 50% of its needs by 2040. Since almost all sectors of the economy depend on water, due to its deficiency in the region's GDP water availability may decrease by 6% by 2050. Metito will be investing in the Kokshetau wastewater treatment project as a private developer and will conduct a comprehensive study and propose detailed solutions to the city and municipality.

“When it comes to developing such capital-intensive infrastructure projects, the Public-Private Partnership scheme remains to be the best formula. We are currently invested in nine PPP’s across multiple markets, and this marks our tenth partnership. We are confident that this project will become an exemplar one in the region setting a new benchmark, and we look forward to working closely with all stakeholders involved,” concluded Ghandour.

About Metito

Impact. Sustainability. Innovation. Through its founding principles, Metito established itself as a global leader, investor and operator of water, and wastewater assets, with a clear market-oriented approach, formidable financial foundation, and a sound and experienced management that uniquely defines its industry proposition. Metito operates 4 key business segments: Design & Build, Utilities, Operation & Maintenance, Chemical Solutions.

Metito is a pan-emerging market player operating across the entire water treatment value chain specializing in desalination, wastewater treatment, water reuse, and industrial solutions with a strong portfolio of projects across its key geographies.

Metito is at the forefront of the water and wastewater industry, backed by 65 years of history, 4500 employees, experience in over 50 countries and over 20 offices globally.

Metito is a key enabler of the circular economy with a strong commitment to working with governments, industries, and communities to secure and manage their water needs.  Given its high-value engineering capabilities, the company provides customized and sustainable infrastructure solutions and prides itself on having delivered tens of millions of cubic meters of treated water to its Municipal and Industrial clients.

Metito is a pioneer in the water industry. The company was the first to introduce the reverse osmosis technology for desalination outside the USA in 1972 and has been innovating ever since and paving the way for the first Public-Private Partnership agreements to deliver water and wastewater solutions to several countries including, Saudi Arabia, Uzbekistan, The United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Rwanda, Serbia, and Qatar.