ALGIERS — The Thursday inauguration of Oran's seawater desalination plant by the President of the Republic, Abdelmadjid Tebboune, marks a major milestone in Algeria's vast plan for a five-plant network, showcasing how the New Algeria can rapidly meet challenges with domestic workforce.

During his historic working visit this Thursday, during which he inaugurated Algeria's largest seawater desalination plant, located in Cap Blanc, Ain El Karma, President Tebboune affirmed that completing the project in under 26 months exemplifies “victorious Algeria.”

He further noted that “we have reached the stage of major achievements in record time with cutting-edge technology.”

“Thanks to the will of the people—from the simple worker to the highest executive—the challenge has been met,” said the President of the Republic.

He continued, “Independent Algeria... from where it started to where it stands today? We are now at the stage of major achievements in record time with cutting-edge technology,” he continued.

The inauguration comes just 26 months after the President of the Republic laid the cornerstone for this major project in June 2022.

In contrast to the plants previously built in partnership with foreign companies, this program was entrusted to Sonatrach and Cosider subsidiaries due to their expertise in construction, engineering and project planning—a point President Tebboune has repeatedly commended.

By relying on Algerian expertise, the country has saved nearly a billion dollars on the five desalination plants while also cutting down on completion time, with the challenge met in just 26 months. This contrasts sharply with past projects that remained unfinished even after a decade, causing significant losses to public funds.

Strengthened national integration and innovation

In this respect, Sonatrach CEO Rachid Hachichi said during a presentation on the Oran desalination plant, on the occasion of its inauguration by the President of the Republic, that the integration rate of national products in seawater desalination plants has reached 30%.

He added that “the five desalination plants built under the presidential emergency plan were constructed with 100% Algerian expertise, and the integration rate of national products in these infrastructures has reached 30%.”

This program's significance lies not just in the total capacity of the five plants, estimated at 1.5 million m³/day, but also in its strategic objective: doubling the share of desalinated water in meeting drinking water demand, raising it from 18% currently to 42%.

This ambitious project includes the construction of five desalination plants in the provinces of El Tarf (Koudiet Draouch), Béjaïa (Tighremt-Toudja), Boumerdès (Cap Djinet), Tipaza (Fouka) and Oran (Cap Blanc) with an investment of around $2.4 billion.

These infrastructures will boost the national production of desalinated drinking water from 2.2 million m³/day to 3.7 million m³/day.

Each new plant, with a capacity of 300,000 m³/day, will provide drinking water to 15 million citizens.