Egypt’s Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation Hani Sewilam held talks with World Bank officials on strengthening cooperation in water management and climate adaptation.
Sewilam met with Meskerem Brhane, the World Bank’s Regional Director for Sustainable Development for the Middle East and North Africa, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. The two sides reviewed strategic cooperation areas and explored future opportunities in irrigation modernisation and wastewater treatment. Sewilam noted that Egypt depends on the Nile River for more than 98% of its renewable water resources. He added that annual per capita water availability has declined to around 490 cubic metres while total demand has risen to approximately 120 billion cubic metres per year. The minister reviewed the second-generation Water 2.0 programme under the National Water Resources Plan 2037 and Water Strategy 2050. He also highlighted more than 6,400 water user associations and major projects including the Bahr El Baqar and Al Mahsama treatment plants.