Cairo: Egypt and the Netherlands have signed a significant grant agreement worth 1.575 million Egyptian pounds aimed at funding a feasibility study to protect Egypt's Nile Delta beaches using nature-based materials. The agreement was signed by Egypt's Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation, Hany Sewilam, Netherlands Ambassador to Egypt, Peter Mollema, and Deputy Foreign Minister Samar el Ahdal.

According to State Information Service Egypt, the grant is funded by the Dutch organization Invest International and was signed in the presence of representatives from the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation and the Dutch delegation. Minister Sewilam expressed his gratitude towards the Foreign Ministry and the Dutch ambassador for facilitating the grant agreement.

The allocated funds will support a pre-feasibility study for five priority coastal sites and a detailed feasibility study for areas in the Nile Delta that require immediate shoreline protection. The minister highlighted that the feasibility study would enable proactive planning and create a comprehensive vision for coastal areas needing protection.

Sewilam noted that the study would build on previous research, particularly the 'Search for sand sources in the Mediterranean Sea' presented during the eighth Cairo Water Week in October 2025. He stressed the importance of identifying sustainable sand sources as a crucial step towards implementing effective and eco-friendly coastal protection measures.

The agreement signifies over 50 years of successful cooperation between Egypt and the Netherlands in the water sector, marking a milestone in their collaborative efforts to address coastal protection challenges.