Construction of Namibia's largest desalination plant, led by China General Nuclear Power Group (CGN), will play a key role in addressing the country's water scarcity, experts have said.

CGN, China's largest nuclear power operator in terms of installed capacity, will work on the Namibian undertaking in cooperation with a local water corporation, the company said during the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) in Beijing last week.

An analyst said the project is a milestone in China's strategic partnerships in Africa, contributing to water security in Namibia while positioning Chinese companies as key players in critical infrastructure development worldwide.

CGN's entry into the water desalination sector in Namibia signals a strategic expansion beyond nuclear energy, a move that aligns nuclear operators with broader strategic goals of energy and water security, said Luo Zuoxian, head of intelligence and research at the Sinopec Economics and Development Research Institute.

China has long been developing nuclear power and has accumulated extensive experience and engineering capabilities in nuclear technology, research and construction operations.

The desalination plant will provide a sustainable water source, enhancing local water security and supporting industries like mining and agriculture in Namibia.

The venture also strengthens China-Namibia ties and reflects China's commitment to supporting infrastructure development in emerging markets, Luo said.

"The project demonstrates China's efforts to leverage its expertise in large-scale infrastructure to meet critical needs like water management in developing regions, aligning with China's broader global infrastructure ambitions under the Belt and Road Initiative," Luo added.

Once completed by the end of 2026, the facility will have an annual production capacity of 20 million metric tons of water, said the Shenzhen, Guangdong province-based CGN.

The project, which is part of BRI cooperation results, will alleviate water shortages especially in central Namibia and the country's western coastal areas. It will also support development of local industries, the company said.

China-Africa economic and trade cooperation continues to gather momentum driven by a slew of concrete plans announced at the summit in Beijing last week.

During the summit, China said that in the next three years, it will work with Africa to implement 10 partnership actions for modernization that will deepen China-Africa cooperation and spearhead the Global South modernization.

The 10 partnership actions cover areas of mutual learning among civilizations, trade prosperity, industry chain cooperation, connectivity, development cooperation, health, agriculture and livelihoods, people-to-people and cultural exchanges, green development and common security.

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