K-water Cooperates with Pakistan and Ghana on Water Projects, Expanding Digital ODA

[Financial News] Korea Water Resources Corporation (K-water) will develop an international greenhouse-gas reduction project in Pakistan using decentralized water-treatment facilities and pursue the expansion of a smart water-network management technology project in Ghana. The initiative aims to link Korean water technologies with official development assistance (ODA) projects, helping stabilize water supplies in developing countries while supporting Korean companies’ overseas expansion.
K-water announced on the 10th that it had signed separate memorandums of understanding with the Punjab Water and Sanitation Agency of Pakistan and Ghana Water Company at the 2026 Korea International Water Week (KIWW), held at EXCO in Daegu on the 9th.
With the Punjab Water and Sanitation Agency of Pakistan, K-water will jointly develop a decentralized water-supply project that installs small-scale treatment facilities at various locations in underserved areas without access to piped water. The parties will also work to establish a plan to link the greenhouse-gas reductions achieved through the project to international mitigation outcomes under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement.
K-water signed a follow-up agreement with Ghana Water Company to expand its pilot project for Smart Water Network Management (SWNM) into a full-scale project. The smart water-network management technology has previously been showcased at global events, including Mobile World Congress (MWC).
Based on the pilot project’s results, the two organizations will jointly develop the full-scale project and conduct a feasibility review using the Economic Development Cooperation Fund (EDCF). The project will target water-supply infrastructure in Accra, Ghana.
The event also featured a session titled “The Digital Transformation of ODA to Address the Global Climate Crisis.” The session was organized to discuss ways to increase the practical impact of existing aid projects by combining digital technologies with energy solutions.
K-water presented its Smart Dam Safety Management Platform (K-SMART DAM), which uses drones, artificial intelligence and digital twins to manage dams with greater precision and preventively, as a model for applying ODA. The Korea Institute of Energy Technology Evaluation and Planning (KETEP) shared the current status of energy ODA projects and introduced cooperation based on an “energy-water nexus” that combines water and energy.
A panel discussion addressed public-private cooperation measures under which public institutions establish the initial foundation for overseas projects and supply Korean water companies’ technologies in packaged solutions. Participants agreed on the need to use water-energy convergence technologies to help developing countries adapt to climate change and support Korean companies’ overseas expansion.
K-water plans to support the application of Korean water companies’ technologies and equipment in the field from the project-planning stage of ODA initiatives. It also plans to expand project linkages to help promising small and venture companies enter emerging markets such as Pakistan and Ghana.
Meanwhile, the 2026 Korea International Water Week, held under the theme “Water, Energy and AI: Safeguarding the Future,” will continue through the 11th. The event discusses technologies for responding to climate crises, including extreme droughts and floods, as well as sustainable water-management measures.
[email protected] Ga-young Choi Reporter