- This is a direct investment which will see the company operate and manage the 25,000 m3/d plant, treating wastewater from the City of Zrenjanin, for the next 25 years under an engineering, procurement, construction, financing, management, maintenance and transfer basis.
- “EmSerb Water”, Metito’s Serbia-specific operating platform, will bring water technology and investments from UAE to the Serbian water and wastewater sector
Belgrade, 9th November 2020 – In line with “Serbia 2020 – 2025” ambitious and visionary national investment plan, Metito, the global provider of intelligent water and alternative energy management solutions, signed its flagship project in the Republic of Serbia, to invest, develop, manage and operate a 32M EUR Wastewater Treatment Plant in the City of Zrenjanin, Province of Vojvodina, Republic of Serbia. The contract is signed on an engineering, procurement, construction, financing, management, maintenance and transfer basis – with the company overseeing the 25,000 m3/day plant operations for 25 years. On this occasion, Metito has also launched its Serbiaspecific investment and operation platform ‘EmSerb Water’ (ESW) which marks the Zrenjanin project as its first project in the Republic, with a pipeline of water and wastewater treatment projects that will be announced in due course. ESW will make investments and introduce advanced water technology from UAE to the Serbian water and wastewater sector, in line with the strategic relation between the Government of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the Government of Serbia, and the ongoing bilateral treaties which aim to support the development of sustainable projects in the Republic of Serbia to support its path towards the membership status in the family of the European Nation countries.
The Zrenjanin wastewater project’s official signing was attended by H.E. the Vice Prime Minister of the Government of the Republic of Serbia and Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management, Mr Branislav Nedimovic; H.E. Ibrahim Al Darmaki, Charge d’Affaires of the UAE Embassy in Belgrade; H.E. Vice president of the Provincial Government in Vojvodina and Secretary for Environment and Urban planning, Mr Vladimir Galic; the Mayor of the City of Zrenjanin, Mr Simo Salapura; Spokesperson of the Assembly of the City of Zrenjanin and former Mayor, Mr Cedomir Janjic; and Metito Vice president for Business development and EmSerb Water General Manager, Mr Walid Madwar.
Commenting on this announcement, H.E. Minister, Mr Nedimovic, said, “As part of the ambitious and visionary “Serbia 2020-2025” plan, an investment of one billion euros is set for the construction of water management assets, namely water pipelines, sewage network, drinking water and wastewater treatment facilities across Serbia. As we intensify the implementation of our strategies and plans for the development of the water sector in Serbia – which alone requires estimated 5.2 billion euros of investments in order to comply with the EU standards membership- we are getting on a fast track with reaching our water management objectives and the Zrenjanin project will be a milestone achievement. We have high level of international bilateral cooperation and strong ties with the UAE and despite the COVID-19 pandemic which hit the entire globe and resulted in many investment projects being postponed or cancelled, our UAE partners did not back down, further highlighting how we can always count on them to encourage direct investments in critical sectors, to support the Serbian economic growth.”
“Partnering with Metito and its water specific investment platform for Serbia, ESW, in the context of developing and securing this long-term investment and sustainable development, is another step towards the implementation of the investment-ambitious agenda for the water sector, and showcases the ongoing strong ties, on the ground, where it is most needed. It gets the Republic of Serbia closer to reaching the EU water standards which we aim to achieve”, H .E. Minister, Mr Nedimovic added.
The UAE Government has been extending its endorsement and support for companies willing to invest in the Republic of Serbia and Metito investing in a Serbia-specific investment company such as ESW and investing in such a long-term high value Zrenjanin flagship project, is another achievement that is credited to such efforts. The Zrenjanin project has an 18-month construction timeline and an offtake period of 25 years. Commenting on this, H.E. Ibrahim Al Darmaki, Charge d’Affairs of the UAE Embassy in Belgrade, said, “To sustain the momentum of our ongoing bilateral relationship with the Government of Serbia, we nurture country-level relationships and continue to support causes and projects that have sustainable economic benefits that can create a cycle of prosperity in the Republic and support the Republic in areas that are critical for the accession into the EU membership, such as environment protection and climate change. We encourage UAE-based companies to invest and bring UAE based technology in the critical infrastructure sector in Serbia where there is great potential and shared value for investors and the community alike”.
With every third member of the Serbian population not connected to sewage system and services, with a connectivity rate ranging from 40% to 75%, and 35% of water losses on a national average level (230 Mm3), water supply and wastewater treatment are pressing issues in Serbia. A mere 10% of wastewater collected is treated in line with the recommended local standards and protocols leading to a shortage of potable water for many communities in the country. This project is part of a far-reaching National Water Management Strategy, put in place by the government of Serbia, to support the country’s planned growth with 1 Billion euros set for the construction of water and sewage pipelines, drinking water and waste water treatment facilities across the country.
“This is truly one of the most important days for the City of Zrenjanin. Only 8 years ago, when we started a relentless, day-to-day combat to preserve and expand each workplace and strike down the unemployment, to open each and every new factory to secure work opportunities to citizens and better chances for a decent life and good living standard. We knew that the day will come when we fight for a cleaner and safer environment. The wastewater treatment plant in Zrenjanin of 25,000 m3/day capacity will be financed, developed and managed by Metito’s Serbia-specific platform company ESW, and will follow the highest European and world standards, providing the City with clean water for our Begej river, the centre of our economic, environmental and touristic development. With having the largest industrial development in the history of Zrenjanin, comes a responsibility to preserve the environment, which we, as a responsible local government are doing for our citizens. The new plant will provide new employment, clean environment, direct investments and the construction companies contracted to build the facility will be local, which means a lot to our local and national GDP’’, commented Mayor of Zrenjanin, Simo Salapura.
Commenting on the newly established local operations and the awarded project, Walid Madwar, ESW General Manager, said; “We are honoured to be part of this important national project and to work with the Government of Serbia. This project marks Metito’s flagship investment in the Republic of Serbia and the launch of our local investment and operation platform ESW underlines our commitment to grow our operations, sustainably serve the Serbian community, and to grow local talents. With a common vision towards securing sustainable water projects that can play an active role in the Serbian economic agenda, we will summon our global experience and procure advanced Emirati-bred design and technology to develop this strategic project”.
About EmSerb Water
EmSerb Water (ESW), is a privately held company established by Metito in the UAE to serve the Serbian market as a platform for investment and operations. ESW offers customized, comprehensive and advanced solutions across the full spectrum of its industry: wastewater treatment, recycling and reuse; desalination; industrial solutions (up to hyper pure water); investing into water and wastewater assets; and structuring both Greenfield and Brownfield schemes under project finance structures.
ESW’s business model follows a whole-of-life approach – creating value for clients and communities alike. The company works closely with its clients to ensure projects are fitting within the overall sector plans, are economically viable and sustainable.
ESW’s mission is to develop sustainable water projects in Serbia with particular focus on wastewater treatment projects developed under Build Own Operate Transfer schemes. The company is committed to preserve the environment, add shared value to the communities it serves and to utilize its vast resources to introduce intelligent solutions and technologies to the market with the help of an experienced management team and local talents.
