Middle East Desalination Research Center

What Middle East Desalination Research Center does

The Middle East Desalination Research Center (MEDRC) is an International Organization established in 1996 out of the Middle East Peace Process and headquartered in Muscat, Oman. It operates under three mandates: supporting the Middle East Peace Process, generating solutions to freshwater scarcity, and serving as a model organization for states seeking to use transboundary environmental issues in the service of peace. The organization works at the intersection of water, environment, and peace, and is the only surviving institution from the Madrid Process.

MEDRC's core offerings span research, training, fellowships, consultancy, and peacebuilding. Its Applied Research Program is a regional center of excellence focused on reverse osmosis membrane technologies, renewable-energy desalination, harmful algal blooms, and the reuse of end-of-life RO membranes. The custom-built Water Training Centre in Muscat is described as the only such facility in the region, combining training laboratories, seminar rooms, a solar array, and an RO desalination plant built for training and research. The Fellowship Program has funded over 200 master's-level and 15+ PhD students in Palestine and Jordan in partnership with the Palestinian Water Authority and Jordan's Ministry of Water and Irrigation, supported by an active alumni network and annual convenings. Additional offerings include the MEDRC Conflict Resolution Model, a publications library, Climate Change Research, and a Water-Energy-Food-Ecosystems (WEF) Nexus program.

MEDRC is funded primarily through membership support from member states and project-specific grants, notably from the German Federal Foreign Office for the Stabilization Mechanism Project. Its customer base is governmental and intergovernmental: MENA region states, Palestinian and Jordanian line ministries, and multilateral partners seeking technical expertise and dialogue facilitation in conflict-sensitive contexts. Pricing is not publicly disclosed, and revenue, headcount, and financial figures are not reported. Leadership is led by Center Director Ciarán Ó Cuinn, with division contacts for Water (Riadh Dridi), Environment (Brendan Smith), and Peace (Esme Markham).

Name

Middle East Desalination Research Center

Legal name

Middle East Desalination Research Center

Website

https://medrc.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

MEDRC is an International Organization established in 1996 out of the Middle East Peace Process, headquartered in Muscat, Oman. It delivers applied research, training, fellowships, and convening on desalination, climate, and transboundary environmental peacebuilding for MENA governments and partners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Water Research and Training Services

NAICS

Environmental Consulting Services (54162)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Humanitarian-Development-Peace Nexus & Resilience Programming (BPADAEAK)

Keywords

• Desalination research services
• Water reuse training
• Environmental peacebuilding
• Transboundary water cooperation
• Renewable energy desalination

Headquarters

HQ city

Muscat

HQ country

Oman

HQ region

Middle East

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Membership and State Support: As an International Organization established by states out of the Middle East Peace Process, MEDRC receives support from member states including German Federal Foreign Office funding for specific projects like the Stabilization Mechanism Project

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

MEDRC is an International Organization headquartered in Muscat, Oman that conducts applied research, development cooperation, specialized training, and bespoke consultancy on desalination technologies, wastewater reuse, and renewable-energy desalination. It also operates a unique Water Training Centre and runs a Fellowship Program funding postgraduate research in Palestine and Jordan, alongside convening transboundary environmental dialogues to support peace processes across the MENA region.

Product overview

The Middle East Desalination Research Center (MEDRC) is a multilateral international organization established in 1996 as part of the Middle East Peace Process, headquartered in Muscat, Oman. MEDRC operates as a research and training institution with a dual focus on environmental solutions and peacebuilding. Its core offerings include: (1) the Water Training Centre – a custom-built facility with training labs, seminar rooms, solar array, and reverse osmosis desalination plant; (2) Applied Research Program – regional excellence center for RO membrane technologies and renewable desalination; (3) Fellowship Program – supporting MSc and PhD students in Palestine and Jordan; (4) Training & Consultancy Services – commercial desalination training and capacity building; (5) MEDRC Conflict Resolution Model – an institutional mechanism for environmental peacebuilding; (6) Publications – comprehensive research reports on climate, water, and peace topics; (7) Climate Change Research and (8) WEF Nexus Program – water-energy-food-ecosystems nexus analysis. These offerings work together to advance MEDRC's three mandates: supporting the Middle East Peace Process, generating solutions to freshwater scarcity, and serving as a model organization for states using transboundary environmental issues for peace.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Water Training Centre

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 200 master's level and over 15 PhD students funded in Palestine and Jordan

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Palestinian Water AuthoritycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for the MEDRC Fellowship Program supporting academic research capacity in water sector. Supports exceptionally talented graduates to undertake postgraduate study at participating universities in Palestine.
• Ministry of Water and Irrigation (Jordan)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for the MEDRC Fellowship Program supporting academic research capacity in water sector. Supports exceptionally talented graduates to undertake postgraduate study at participating universities in Jordan.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves2 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• International Water Management Institute (IWMI): A CGIAR-affiliated international water research organization focused on sustainable water use in developing countries. Directly comparable to MEDRC as a mission-driven international research institute working on water scarcity solutions for emerging regions.
• Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI): An independent policy and research institute that applies water-related knowledge to address global water challenges. Comparable to MEDRC as a non-profit international institute conducting water research, convening stakeholders, and publishing policy work.
• International Desalination Association (IDA): A global membership association promoting appropriate desalination and water reuse technologies. Directly comparable to MEDRC in its focus on advancing desalination knowledge, training, and convening across the international water community.
• International Peace Institute (IPI): An independent international institution dedicated to promoting the prevention and resolution of armed conflict through policy research and convening. Comparable to MEDRC as a multilateral research institute working at the intersection of technical issues and peace processes.

Emerging players

• World Resources Institute (WRI): A global research organization working on the intersection of environment, economic opportunity, and human well-being, including water and climate programs. Comparable to MEDRC as a research-driven nonprofit publishing applied work on water scarcity, climate, and sustainable development.

Broad incumbents

• CGIAR: The world's largest agricultural and food-security research partnership, including IWMI and other water-focused centers. Comparable to MEDRC as a multilateral research network convening international applied research partnerships across regions.
• Saline Water Conversion Corporation (SWCC): A Saudi Arabian state-owned entity responsible for desalination and power generation in the Kingdom. Comparable to MEDRC through its focus on desalination and RO membrane technology, but operates at industrial scale as a state utility rather than a research institute.
• United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP): The UN's designated entity for environmental issues, coordinating global environmental policy and supporting national environmental action plans. Comparable to MEDRC as a multilateral institution delivering environmental research, capacity building, and policy support to MENA governments.

Regional players

• Arab Water Council: A regional civil-society organization promoting water security across Arab countries through policy dialogue and research. Comparable to MEDRC as a MENA-focused water organization but with a broader advocacy mandate and Arab-wide membership rather than peace-process origins.

Others

• Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ): A German federal enterprise supporting international development cooperation, including significant German Federal Foreign Office programming. Comparable to MEDRC as a delivery vehicle for German foreign-policy programming and donor-funded technical cooperation in MENA.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/MEDRCorg
• Facebookfacebook.com/medrcorg
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/medrc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Middle East Desalination Research Center