• CEEC to invest $1B in Egypt, shifting regional HQ to Cairo.
• Egypt targets 10m m³/day desalination, 42% renewables by 2030.
• Gulf rivals expand solar/wind, CEEC bets on integrated water-energy.

China Energy Engineering Corp. (CEEC) plans to invest $1 billion in Egypt over the next five years, targeting renewable energy, desalination, and storage projects as it makes Cairo its regional headquarters for North Africa and the Middle East.

The announcement came during Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouli’s visit to China for the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in Tianjin. Madbouli set goals to expand desalination capacity to 10 million cubic meters per day within five years, up from 1.4 million today, and to lift renewables’ share of Egypt’s power mix to 42% by 2030.

Active in Egypt since 2009, CEEC has completed 14 energy and infrastructure projects. Chairman Ni Chen told Madbouli the company’s investments will focus on integrated water-energy solutions, aligning with Egypt’s dual challenge of meeting rising domestic demand while positioning itself as a future electricity exporter to Europe.

Egypt faces acute water scarcity, with only 560 cubic meters available per person annually—well below the 1,000 cubic meter poverty threshold—and remains heavily dependent on the Nile. Authorities see desalination as critical to resilience, particularly as climate change threatens river flows.

The push comes amid intensifying competition from Gulf investors, with the UAE and Saudi Arabia rapidly building solar and wind projects in Egypt. CEEC aims to leverage its integrated approach to secure a stronger foothold in the country’s strategic water and energy markets.

This article was initially published in French by Abdoullah Diop

Adapted in English by Ange Jason Quenum