Foreign and Irrigation Ministers Discuss Egyptian Efforts to Support Development and Water Security in Africa
Cairo – Khadija Hamouda: Dr. Badr Abdelatty, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Dr. Hani Sweilam, Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation, discussed ways to strengthen Egypt’s relations with the sister countries of the Nile Basin, advance cooperative development programs, and expand the scope of Egyptian projects and initiatives aimed at supporting development and water security across the African continent, alongside coordinating Egyptian positions and actions on water issues at both the regional and international levels.
The two ministers emphasized that Egypt’s foreign policy in the Nile Basin countries is founded on cooperation, development, and the pursuit of shared interests and mutual benefit. They stated that the Egyptian position is grounded in a firm belief that achieving water security and development are complementary, not conflicting, objectives, and that transboundary water resources should serve as a field for cooperation and integration among peoples, in accordance with international law.
In this context, the ministers reviewed the status of Egyptian cooperation projects in the sister Nile Basin countries, particularly dam projects, including the latest, the giant Julius Nyerere Dam in Tanzania. They also discussed the establishment of solar-powered groundwater stations and wells, river ports, and earth reservoirs, as well as the creation of a rainfall forecasting center and a water quality analysis laboratory. Additionally, they covered projects to combat aquatic weeds and protect against floods, alongside training and capacity-building programs.
The meeting praised the continuous evolution of Egypt’s development financing mechanisms in Nile Basin countries, foremost among which is the financing mechanism launched by Egypt with an initial allocation of $100 million to study and implement projects, including dams, in the Southern Nile Basin countries according to their priorities. This is in addition to the activities of the Egyptian Agency for Partnership for Development and the Egyptian Initiative for the Development of Nile Basin countries in building capacities, enhancing skills, and implementing bilateral memoranda of understanding between Egypt and the sister Nile Basin countries.
The two ministers noted that these initiatives align with an Egyptian vision to translate cooperation concepts into tangible projects on the ground that deliver direct developmental impact for our brothers and benefit all parties, in harmony with “Agenda 2063” and the “Africa Water Vision 2063.” These frameworks embody aspirations for a more integrated continent capable of achieving water and food security and sustainable development, while strengthening cooperation in the management of shared resources.
They affirmed that safeguarding Egypt’s water security does not conflict with the aspirations of our brothers for development. They stressed that the Nile River is a shared water resource that must be managed in accordance with international law, particularly the principle of no significant harm and the obligation to cooperate through prior notification, consultation, and agreement. In this context, they reiterated Egypt’s firm rejection of unilateral measures that violate international law in the Eastern Nile Basin, emphasizing that Egypt will take all measures permitted under international law to protect its rights and the existential capabilities of its people.
