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Cox / Cox and AMEA awarded concession in Angola for 100,000 m³/day...

Cox and AMEA awarded concession in Angola for 100,000 m³/day desalination plant

  • The concession has been granted through the Joint Venture between Cox and AMEA, formed in May of this year, with the support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the United Arab Emirates and the Government of Angola
  • The total investment amounts to over USD 200 million
  • The plant has a capacity of 100,000 m³/day to supply drinking water to 800,000 inhabitants of the Mussulo peninsula, significantly contributing to improved water access in Luanda, the nation’s capital
  • Plant operations are expected to begin in the second half of 2028

 

Madrid, August 27, 2025. Cox, a global leader in water and energy, in partnership with AMEA Power, one of the leading renewable energy companies in the Middle East and Africa, has signed a cooperation agreement with Angola’s Ministry of Energy and Water (MINEA) to develop a large seawater desalination plant on the Mussulo peninsula. The plant will have a capacity of 100,000 m³/day and will serve approximately 800,000 people.

Enrique Riquelme, Executive Chairman of Cox, stated: “With this new concession, we continue advancing our strategic plan and take a fundamental step in our international growth strategy in the water sector. Angola is a country with major challenges and opportunities regarding water, and together with AMEA Power and the Angolan government we aim to provide sustainable solutions that guarantee access to safe drinking water for its citizens.”

Hussain Al Nowais, Chairman of AMEA Power, added: “Our partnership with MINEA represents a transformative step toward securing a sustainable and climate-resilient water supply for Angola. We have been driving this project since 2022, and today we reach an important milestone, made possible thanks to the strong support of the UAE government. This landmark project demonstrates the power of public-private collaboration to close critical infrastructure gaps, strengthen communities, and improve the lives of hundreds of thousands of people for generations to come.”

The agreement was signed in the presence of H.E. Salem Ali Khamis Obaid Al Shamsi, UAE Ambassador to Angola, by João Baptista Borges, Minister of Energy and Water of Angola; Ignacio Carreras, Head of PtX at AMEA Power; and Emiliano Agustín Espinoza Labbé, Chief Africa, Middle East & Asia at Cox.

A Strategic Alliance: Water Alliance Ventures

The project will be executed through Water Alliance Ventures, the strategic joint venture established by Cox and AMEA Power, which brings together Cox’s technology and innovation with AMEA Power’s local expertise and institutional support. This collaboration strengthens Cox’s growth in the Middle East and Africa, while mitigating risks in regions with high demand for water and energy. The alliance is driving desalination and water treatment projects in these markets that exceed 2 million m³/day.

The new desalination plant, with an investment of over USD 200 million, will have a total capacity of 100,000 m³/day and will be built in two phases of 50,000 m³/day each. Each phase will generate between 200 and 300 jobs during construction and around 25 permanent jobs during operations.

Once operational, the facility will ensure the supply of drinking water to nearly 800,000 residents of the Mussulo Peninsula and the neighboring Futungo district, substantially improving water access in Luanda (Angola). Moreover, the plant will complement public initiatives such as the Bita and Quilonga projects, which are key to addressing Luanda’s water infrastructure challenges.

The project has been led by AMEA Power since 2022, when it signed a Memorandum of Understanding with MINEA to initiate the conceptual study. Subsequently, in November 2023, a Development Agreement was signed, providing the framework for AMEA Power to carry out a detailed Feasibility Study, completed in Q4 2024.

The project is supported by the Government of the United Arab Emirates, through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), reflecting the UAE’s historic commitment to strengthening bilateral ties with Angola and supporting critical infrastructure that fosters sustainable development.

Construction of the first phase is expected to begin after the completion of technical and environmental studies, with commissioning scheduled for Q2 2028.

Emiliano Espinoza; Head of Africa, Middle East & Asia at Cox, Ignacio Carreras; the UAE Ambassador to Angola, and Minister João Baptista Borges.

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Luis Arizaga Zárate

Independent Director

Member of the Audit Committee

Date of appointment: September 17, 2024

Shareholding in Cox Abg Group, S.A.: 11,514 shares

Partner of Exus Management Partners (Exus) and GenuX Power, a global renewable energy platform with offices in nine countries, managing 11GW of installed capacity, including 2.6GW in Mexico between wind and solar energy projects. Holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the Leonard N. Stern School of Business at NYU in New York, and a bachelors degree in Accounting and Finance from ITESM in Mexico.

Prior to joining EXUS in 2019, he founded EIRA Capital, an investment platform focused on Energy and Infrastructure transactions in Mexico, and Latin America. He was also part of Australia’s Macquarie Group in Latin America, where he spent more than 7 years in the Macquarie Capital and Macquarie Funds divisions, working on fund capital raising, equity investments, asset management activities, as well as third party advisory roles on energy and infrastructure transactions in Mexico and Latin America. During his years at Macquarie, he also held board positions in the several investments made by Macquarie which covered energy, public private partnerships, roads, and telecom companies. In addition, his previous involvement at financial institutions include positions in the investment banking teams of Deutsche Bank’s M&A group in New York, and Citibank’s M&A group in Mexico.

Other former relevant positions include his role as independent member of the investment committee of the Instituto del Fondo Nacional de la Vivienda para los Trabajadores (Mexican mortgages and housing government agency).

Enrique Riquelme Vives

Presidente Ejecutivo

Fecha de nombramiento: 17 de septiembre de 2024

Participación en el capital social de Cox Abg Group, S.A.: 50.612.744  acciones

COX

Presidente Ejecutivo de Cox, tras iniciar su andadura profesional en el sector inmobiliario y de la construcción, en 2010 fundó Grupo El Sol en Panamá, especializado en operaciones de minería, cemento, infraestructuras y energía. Con el tiempo, la empresa se convertiría en el mayor proveedor de arena de la UTE responsable de la ampliación del canal de Panamá. Posteriormente, pasó a liderar las fases de oferta y desarrollo de Rainbow 50: el proyecto fotovoltaico de mayor envergadura ejecutado en América Latina hasta aquel momento.

Ha recibido varios galardones por su contribución al mundo empresarial en España, entre ellos el Premio del Certamen Nacional de Jóvenes Emprendedores 2018. También ha sido distinguido como uno de los «100 latinos más influyentes comprometidos con la acción climática» y uno de los «100 españoles más creativos del mundo de los negocios» según la revista Forbes. Actualmente, es miembro del Consejo Internacional de la San Telmo Business School y preside el Consejo Asesor de la Fundación Scholas para Panamá, Centroamérica y Caribe.