Session 4: Regulating for Water Security and Rapid Transformation Across the GCC Countries

Opening remarks, presentations, and moderated discussion.

The GCC is at the forefront of a fundamental shift in water regulation. Severe water scarcity, rapid urbanization, climate pressures, and growing reliance on desalination and reuse are reshaping how water services are planned, financed, and delivered. The region also offers important experience in developing large-scale infrastructure through long-term public-private partnerships and increasingly sophisticated regulatory and procurement frameworks.

This panel will examine how GCC regulators are evolving their approaches to support water security, investment, innovation, affordability, and resilience, while maintaining effective oversight across an increasingly complex water value chain.

The discussion will focus on three questions:

• How are GCC regulators adapting established frameworks to respond to growing water scarcity, climate risk, desalination, reuse, and new technologies?
• How can regulation provide the predictability needed to attract long-term investment while protecting affordability, service quality, and the public interest?
• How can GCC regulators move toward more integrated regulation that connects water production, distribution, wastewater, reuse, demand management, and environmental objectives?

Drawing on experience across the GCC, the panel will identify practical regulatory approaches that can accelerate investment and innovation while strengthening long-term water security and public value.

Participating countries: Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Oman.