Financing the water deficit: Project finance and Islamic finance structures for water assets

As geopolitical uncertainty, increasing cyber threats and evolving regulatory requirements continue to transform the risk landscape, safeguarding the resilience of critical water infrastructure is becoming ever more essential.

With the pipeline of desalination capacity in the GCC increasing, securing robust and bankable financing structures is central to project delivery. This session explores the debt financing landscape for desalination assets, including conventional project finance, export credit agency support, and the growing role of Islamic finance instruments such as sukuk and ijara structures. We will consider the key bankability requirements that lenders impose, the treatment of water offtake agreements as security, and the latest trends in blended finance and green finance for water infrastructure.

Who should attend

Utilities, project sponsors, EPC contractors, developers, lenders, investors, operators, technology providers, insurers and public sector stakeholders involved in the development, financing, construction and operation of water and desalination infrastructure across the Middle East.