Completed Development AidData Chinese Aid

Chinese Government provides RMB 89 million grant for Gwadar Sea Water Desalination Plant Project

¥89M RMB

Funder	China Ministry of Commerce
Recipient Organization	Government of Pakistan
Country	Pakistan
Start Date	Oct 08, 2019
End Date	Oct 17, 2033
Duration	5,123 days
Number of Grantees	1
Roles	Recipient
Data Source	AidData Chinese Aid
Grant ID	`92329`

Grant Description

On October 8, 2019, the Chinese Government and the Government of Pakistan signed letters of exchange, which committed RMB 89 million ($12.7 million) of grant funding for the Gwadar Sea Water Desalination Plant Project.

The purpose of this project is to build a 1.2 MGD (million gallon per day) water desalination plant in Gwadar Free Zone to supply potable water to the residents of the 'Old City' area in Gwadar City.

Upon completion, the plant is expected to provide 5,000 tons of fresh water per day to Gwadar residents and enterprises (in particular, those in the Old City area). The population of Gwadar City has not had reliable and sustainable access to drinking water for a long time.

Their main source of water is Ankara Dam which due to frequent droughts is unable even to meet the drinking water requirements of the city’s population. The residents have been forced to buy sometimes expensive water for their daily consumption. The current water requirement of the Gwadar City is 4.2MGD per day while supply from the government source is 2.0 MGD.

China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC) is the EPC contractor responsible for project implementation. A project implementation agreement with China's Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) was signed on July 5, 2021. CHEC signed an EPC contract with the Government of Pakistan in February 2022. Then, a groundbreaking ceremony took place on June 3, 2022.

The project was originally expected to reach completion within 12 months (June 3, 2023). However, as of June 2023, the project had only achieved an 80% physical completion rate. A completion ceremony for the plant was held on December 4, 2023.

📋 Staff Comments

This project is also known as the 1.2 MGD Reverse Osmosis Desalination Plant Project. The Chinese project title is 瓜达尔海水淡化厂.
Dawood Baloch is the Gwadar Port Authority (GPA) Project Director for the 1.2 MGD Water Desalination Plant Project.
One source identifies that grant commitment as $13.08 million and the grant commitment date as December 29, 2020. These discrepancies warrant further investigation. See https://www.ead.gov.pk/SiteImage/Misc/files/2024/Year-Book-2022-23.pdf

📚 Sources & References

(295th Session) SENATE SECRETARIAT 'QUESTIONS FOR ORAL ANSWERS AND THEIR REPLIES' to be asked at a sitting of the Senate to be held on Friday, the 17th January, 2020
Gwadar to get 1.2 MGD water desalination plant
Feature: Thirsty Gwadar enjoys sustainable, sweet desalted seawater
CDWP approves 1.2 MGD desalination plant for Gwadar, 1.2 MGD Desalination Plant
Installation of China-funded 1.2 MGD water desalination plant at Gwadar Port approved, 5th Meeting of the Joint Working Group on Gwadar
SENATE SECRETARIAT ————— “QUESTIONS FOR ORAL ANSWERS AND THEIR REPLIES” to be asked at a sitting of the Senate to be held on Friday, the 17th January, 2020
Chinese delegation visits Gwadar
After China’s Hesitance
Pakistan Decides to Fund Gwadar’s Water Treatment Plant
Necessary Facilities Of Fresh Water Treatment
Water Supply And Distribution
Pakistan Estimates of Foreign Assistance 2017-2018
Notice Inviting Tenders
SENATE'S SECRETARIAT “QUESTIONS FOR ORAL ANSWERS AND THEIR REPLIES”
SENATE SECRETARIAT “QUESTIONS FOR ORAL ANSWERS AND THEIR REPLIES”, 2016 Government of Pakistan Bond Prospectus
The Politics of Interdependence: A Case of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor
Pakistan Estimates of Foreign Assistance 2018-2019
MONTHLY DISBURSEMENT REPORT OF FOREIGN ECONOMIC ASSISTANCE FOR THE MONTH OF JUNE, 2016-17
中国港湾中标援巴基斯坦瓜达尔海水淡化厂项目
中国港湾：中标援巴基斯坦瓜达尔海水淡化厂项目
中国援助巴基斯坦瓜达尔东湾快速路举行通车仪式
中国港湾中标援巴基斯坦瓜达尔海水淡化厂项目
Groundbreaking ceremony held for 5,000-ton/day Gwadar Seawater Desalination Plant
Work on Gwadar Desalination plant to be completed within year
Work begins on Gwadar 1.2 MGD water desalination plant
Water Desalination Plant inaugurated in Gwadar
China granted over RMB 5 bln on Gwadar’s socioeconomic life
Work starts for Gwadar 1.2 MGD water desalination plant
Pakistan Economic Survey 22-23
Year Book 2022-2023 of the Economic Affairs Division (EAD) of the Government of Pakistan
China-funded 1.2 MGD ROD Plant to be set up at Gwadar
Gwadar Free Zone: Irked by rupee slide
Chinese for accounts in RMB
YEAR BOOK 2023-24 Ministry of Planning
Development & Special Initiatives
China-donated seawater desalination plant to resolve water shortage in Pakistan's Gwadar
Pakistan Embassy China
China-Pakistan Economic Corridor - CPEC.gov.pk
驻巴基斯坦大使姜再冬同巴总理卡卡尔出席中方援巴项目竣工仪式
姜再冬大使同巴基斯坦总理卡卡尔出席中方援巴项目竣工仪式 Loan applications and disbursements are still being received and processed as the projects continue to evolve. Ongoing monitoring and evaluation are in place to ensure project continuity.