Suez wins €2 billion water management contract in Oman, its largest Middle East deal

The deal

Suez, the French environmental services giant, has won a €2 billion contract to manage water and wastewater services in Oman for 15 years. The agreement, signed during Sultan Haitham bin Tarik's state visit to France, is the company's largest in the Middle East. Xavier Girre, Suez CEO, said the contract ranks among the top three in the group's history. It covers the capital Muscat and the governorates of Sharqiyah Nord and Sharqiyah Sud, serving 2.3 million people (43% of Oman's population). Suez will operate 240 wells and 10,700 km of pipelines, distributing 470,000 cubic metres of drinking water daily.

“This contract is in the top 3 of Suez's history.”

Performance and targets

The contract includes 33 key performance indicators tied to remuneration. Suez must reduce water leakage from 34% to 11% by 2040 and guarantee 24-hour water supply. The company will modernise four desalination plants and run 22 wastewater treatment plants, with treated water to be reused. A workforce of 124 experts (24 international, 100 local) will initially be involved, with over 83% of staff being Omani nationals by the end of the term.

Geopolitical backdrop

The signing coincided with Sultan Haitham bin Tarik's state visit to France, where President Emmanuel Macron is seeking to deepen economic ties with Gulf states in infrastructure, energy and water security. Suez has been present in the Middle East for 70 years and already operates in Oman and Saudi Arabia.