Riyadh: The U.S.-Saudi Water Summit 2025 concluded yesterday at the Four Seasons Hotel Silicon Valley in Palo Alto, California. The summit was organized by the Saudi Water Authority (SWA) as part of its delegation's visit to the United States, headed by SWA President Eng. Abdullah bin Ibrahim Al-Abdulkarim, from September 28 to October 7, with the participation of representatives from the public and private sectors.
According to Saudi Press Agency, in his opening remarks, the SWA president welcomed participants and emphasized that the event serves as a pivotal platform for strengthening international cooperation in addressing water challenges, as well as an opportunity to exchange knowledge and expertise and to develop innovative solutions that contribute to a more secure and sustainable future. He noted that in recent years, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has undergone major transformations that have positioned it among the world's leading countries in the water sector, driven by its ambitious vision and pioneering projects that place innovation and advanced technologies at the core of its efforts.
The summit featured a series of panel discussions, research papers, and presentations from both the Saudi and U.S. sides, delivered by members of the Saudi delegation and leading American institutions and companies. The sessions highlighted innovative experiences and solutions in the water sector. The discussions addressed key themes, including desalination and water reuse technologies, digital transformation and smart networks, sustainability and environmental protection, financing and investment, and innovation and entrepreneurship, reflecting the richness of the dialogue and the alignment of perspectives between experts and specialists from both countries.
The Saudi-U.S. Water Summit served as a key stop in the delegation's tour, during which members visited several U.S. institutions and major companies, including the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), Xylem, Plug and Play, and Google. The visits aimed to strengthen technical cooperation and gain insights into successful global experiences.
The summit brought together government, regulatory, investment, and research leaders from the Kingdom and the U.S. It highlighted the Kingdom's pioneering experience in transforming the water sector and its advancements in desalination and water transmission, achieving global records in operational efficiency, energy consumption reduction, and environmental impact mitigation, thus strengthening its position as a global leader in water resource management.
The event also witnessed the signing of eight memoranda of understanding (MoUs) between the SWA and several U.S. entities and companies. The agreements aim to build capacity, exchange knowledge in the water sector, explore advanced solutions, and strengthen research and innovation cooperation, in addition to developing human capital, fostering innovation, and promoting sustainable water management.