The Jordan government, represented by Minister of Water and Irrigation Raed Abu Saud, signed the final technical and legal agreement with Thierry Déau of Meridiam in Amman to advance the US$4.3 billion National Water Carrier project. 

The project is expected to cost about $4.3 billion in capital expenditure, increasing to roughly $5.8 billion when financing is included. It focuses on large-scale seawater desalination with an annual capacity of 300 million cubic metres, supported by a 450-km transmission network and pumping systems designed to raise water to 1,100 metres. The development also incorporates renewable energy, with around 300 MW of solar power planned to supply nearly 30% of its energy needs. Once operational in 2030, the initiative is projected to meet roughly 40% of the Kingdom’s potable water demand. It is also set to boost total water availability by about 40%, increasing per capita supply from 60 to 110 cubic metres annually and enabling more frequent distribution—up to three days per week—across all governorates. The agreement further highlights advances in cost optimisation, with the benchmark water tariff lowered from around $3 per cubic metre in 2024 to about $2.7, while negotiations on inflation adjustment mechanisms are still ongoing. 

Funding will be backed by a consortium of 29 international donors and financial institutions, with grant contributions of about $663 million from partners including the United States, the European Union, Germany, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, France, Italy, Japan, and the Green Climate Fund. Meridiam is set to arrange roughly $2.9 billion in financing from major international lenders such as the World Bank Group, the European Investment Bank, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the Islamic Development Bank, Proparco (the private-sector arm of the French Development Agency), the Japan International Cooperation Agency, the OPEC Fund for International Development, and the Green Climate Fund. The government will provide about $722 million, while a consortium of Jordanian banks led by Housing Bank is expected to contribute up to $1.1 billion. The Social Security Investment Fund will also participate as both a lender and equity partner alongside Meridiam.

The project will follow a build–operate–transfer model, under which ownership will revert to the government after 26 years of operation. It is structured as a public-private partnership between the Ministry of Water and Infrastructure and the National Carrier Project Company—a special purpose vehicle that is 90% owned by Meridiam and 10% by SUEZ.