RIYADH: Saudi aid agency KSrelief recently visited a rehabilitated water desalination plant in southern Port Sudan as part of efforts to support water and sanitation services in the northeast African country.

The facility has two desalination units with a combined capacity of 3,000 cubic meters of water per day. It was rehabilitated to provide clean drinking water to about 50 neighborhoods and residential areas across the city.

Established in 2017, the facility had not been fully utilized. Its rehabilitation included the installation of essential spare parts, equipment and devices, as well as upgrades using modern seawater desalination technologies. The project addresses water challenges in Port Sudan and surrounding areas, where suitable groundwater for drinking is limited.

KSrelief launched the rehabilitation project in April as part of broader efforts to improve access to water in Red Sea State. Port Sudan has more than 400,000 residents and has faced increased pressure on essential services during Sudan’s ongoing humanitarian crisis.

The visit was attended by Saudi Ambassador to Sudan Zaid bin Mukhlid Al-Harbi; Red Sea State Gov. Lt. Gen. Mustafa Mohammad Nour; and KSrelief Director of Media and Public Relations, and Director of the International Communication and Media Center Shalhoub Al-Shalhoub.

KSrelief also opened a desalination facility at the city’s Children’s Teaching Hospital earlier this year, with a production capacity of 50 cubic meters per day. The plant supplies potable water to the hospital and other medical facilities, supporting thousands of patients and their families.

The projects are part of broader Saudi humanitarian support for Sudan, particularly in water and sanitation, as well as relief programs for vulnerable and conflict-affected communities across several states.

According to KSrelief, the center has implemented 284 completed and ongoing projects in Sudan since 2016, worth more than $196 million. They cover health, food security, water and sanitation, shelter, education, nutrition and humanitarian coordination.