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| Metito |
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| Summary of Proposed Investment |
| This Summary of Proposed Investment is prepared and distributed to the public in advance of the IFC Board of Directors’ consideration of the proposed transaction. Its purpose is to enhance the transparency of IFC’s activities, and this document should not be construed as presuming the outcome of the Board decision. Board dates are estimates only. |
| Project number | 25043 |
| Company name | Metito Holdings Limited |
| Country | MENA Region |
| Sector | Utilities |
| Environmental category | B |
| Department | Infrastructure |
| Status | Active |
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| Date SPI disclosed | April 27, 2007 |
| Projected board date | May 29, 2007 |
| Previous Events | Invested: October 11, 2007
Signed: September 20, 2007
Approved: September 14, 2007 |
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| View Environmental & Social Review Summary (ESRS), click here |
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| Overview |
Sponsor/Cost/Location |
Development Impact |
Contacts |
Attachments |
| Project description |
| Metito is a medium-sized regional player specialized in the design, engineering, procurement, contracting, and operations and maintenance solutions for industrial and municipal customers in the rapidly growing water and wastewater treatment industry in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). In 1999, Metito expanded into the industrial concessions business segment, with a focus on small-to-medium size industrial water and wastewater concessions (Industrial Concessions), serving the tourism industry and mixed-use real estate developments (investment, residential and industrial parks) in the MENA region, and the ports services sector in Indonesia. |
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| Project sponsor and major shareholders of project company |
| Metito was founded by Farouk Ghandour and later joined by his brother Mutaz Ghandour, two Lebanese entrepreneurs, in 1958 as the first company in the Middle East to specialize in water and wastewater treatment services. In November 2006, the Ghandour family sold 60% of Metito Holdings Limited (MHL), the parent company of Metito, to Gulf Capital PSJC, a private equity group based in the United Arab Emirates. The remaining 40% stake is held for the Ghandour Family. |
| Total project cost and amount and nature of IFC's investment |
| Over the next three years, Metito is looking to ramp up its Industrial Concessions business and expand into water utility services to capitalize on the potential growth opportunities in the water sector in the MENA region. IFC will provide a financing package of up to $20 million A Loan and a minority equity investment in MHL to support its expansion plans in the Industrial Concessions business and utility services in MENA. |
| Location of project and description of site |
| Metito intends to target Industrial Concessions, with a focus on large tourism and mixed use real estate developments in MENA and expand its activities in the ports sector in Indonesia. Over the next few years, Metito is looking to expand into the utility services business, capitalizing on the privatization potential of public utilities across the MENA region. |
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| Anticipated development impact of the project |
| Metito’s activities in the MENA region help extend water and wastewater treatment services to key income and employment generating sectors in the region’s economy, such as the tourism sector in Egypt, and the ports sector in Indonesia. By operating locally, Metito helps provide water-deprived MENA countries with low-cost water and wastewater treatment solutions to help support the economic growth in the region. Metito is also demonstrating the ability of the private sector to operate successfully in the water and sanitation sector in the MENA region, which is crucial to the region’s sustainable development. |
| IFC's expected development contribution |
| IFC will support the MENA region’s privatization plans of the municipal and industrial water and wastewater treatment sectors and help Metito in its regional expansion plans. IFC will provide Metito with long-term financing that is otherwise difficult to secure for water and wastewater projects in the MENA region. Metito has approached IFC for its in-house expertise in such water and wastewater projects and is seeking IFC’s support to improve its environmental, social and health and safety standards. |
| Environmental and social issues - Category B |
This is a Category B project according to IFC’s Procedure for Environmental and Social Review of Projects because it may create a limited number of specific environmental and social impacts that can be avoided or mitigated by adhering to generally recognized performance standards, guidelines, or design criteria. Metito’s operations help extend water and wastewater treatment services in a region with limited infrastructure and fresh water resource availability. Wastewater treatment services provided by Metito help in environmental protection and enhancing public health through treatment and disposal of sewage, and reuse of treated effluent for irrigation and district cooling.
Performance standards (PS) that are applicable for this investment include:
- PS1: Social and Environmental Assessment and Management System
- PS2: Labor and Working Conditions
- PS3: Pollution Prevention and Abatement
- PS4: Community Health, Safety and Security
Because this investment will be used to support existing projects and future, but as yet, undefined projects, the principal Performance Standards to be applied to this investment are those listed above. A condition of IFC’s investment going forward will be that any and all projects undertaken shall consider all relevant social and environmental risks and impacts, including the issues identified in PS1 through PS8.
Upon successful implementation of the agreed mitigation measures, the proposed project is expected to comply with host country laws and regulations, IFC Performance Standards and applicable World Bank/IFC guidelines. |
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| For inquiries about the project, contact: |
John Wheatley, Group Finance Director
Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
Telephone: +971 6 556 1818
Fax: +971 6 556 5060 |
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| For inquiries and comments about IFC, contact: |
General IFC Inquiries
IFC Corporate Relations
2121 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington DC 20433
Telephone: 202-473-3800
Fax: 202-974-4384
E Mail: Webmaster |
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