MENA Project Tracker: Work on UAE’s Barakah nuclear plant 97% complete

Masdar and Egyptian renewable energy provider Infinity Energy are collaborating to acquire a majority stake in renewable power generation firm Lekela Power. (Shutterstock)
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Updated 06 June 2022
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MENA Project Tracker: Work on UAE’s Barakah nuclear plant 97% complete

RIYADH: Work on the UAE’s Barakah Nuclear Plant is almost complete. In addition, Saudi Arabia’s Mohammed bin Salman Foundation has appointed Australia’s Conrad Gargett for its headquarters project. Also, UAE’s Masdar and Egypt’s Infinity Energy are on track to acquire a majority stake in Lekela Power. Meanwhile, the Kuwait Oil Co is in talks with the Central Agency for Public Tenders to restart the second phase of price negotiations for a large contract that has already been delayed multiple times.

·      Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation has announced that the work on the Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant, which is being established in collaboration with Korea Electric Power Corporation, is 97 percent complete, Trade Arabia reported. This comes as the first two units are already operational and generate electricity daily. On the other hand, the third phase is set to become operational in the near future.

·      The Mohammed bin Salman Foundation, also known as Misk, has awarded Australian architectural practice Conrad Gargett for the Foundation Headquarters in Saudi Arabia, Trade Arabia reported. The scope of work will include the construction of 500 villas and townhouses and 6,000 apartments catering to an estimated 18,000 potential residents.

·      UAE-government owned renewable energy company Masdar and Egyptian renewable energy provider Infinity Energy are collaborating to acquire a majority stake in renewable power generation firm Lekela Power worth an estimated $1 billion from UK-based global investment firm Actis, MEED reported. Lekela’s portfolio comprises more than 1,000 MW of wind assets dispersed across South Africa, Egypt, and Senegal in addition to a 225 MW wind development in Ghana. Sealing the deal would pose Masdar’s first foothold in southern Africa.

·      The Kuwait Oil Co., or KOC, has requested to restart the second phase of price negotiations for a large project management consultancy contract from the Central Agency for Public Tenders, MEED reported. KOC had originally accepted bids from the UK’s Wood Group, Australia’s Worley, and America’s KBR.


IMF managing director Kristalina Georgieva commends GCC economic success

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IMF managing director Kristalina Georgieva commends GCC economic success

DUBAI: The managing director of the International Monetary Fund, Kristalina Georgieva, has commended the Gulf’s economic success and said she admires its efforts.

Speaking at the World Governments Summit on Tuesday, Georgieva said discussions with ministers of finance and central bank governors in the region were showing maturity, which helped them move their economies forward.

“If you want to compete in the world we are today, you have to come up with a sense of purpose and unity and the Gulf has demonstrated capacity to do so,” she added.

Georgieva said she admired what the Gulf Cooperation Council had done with investing in human capital and recognizing the importance of dialogue and cooperation: “Because you have invested in human capital before AI took over, you have such a strong comparative advantage today when this new technology is coming to life.”

She also urged Gulf countries to learn from Europe’s mistakes.

“In the Gulf I am enthusiastic about what I see, there is more interest in harmonization of regulations, more collective decision making and focus on interregional trade,” she said. “Potential for that is huge and the Gulf is thinking about how to make the GCC a more impactful institution. Don't copy European institutions, they are too complicated.”

Georgieva added that, despite political challenges and obstacles, the world still needed trading.

“Trade is like water, you put an obstacle and it moves around it,” she said. “The world is trading because the majority of small and medium sized countries can’t produce anything at home and they need an integrated global economy.

“We live in a world of exhaustive shocks, we live in a world of uncertainty, this is not going to change.”

Georgieva also urged governments to get their economies in the best possible order and to cooperate with their neighbors to build economic bridges and connections.