Egyptian Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation Hani Sewilam, on Tuesday 25-July-2023, said the climate change poses a massive challenge at the international level and directly affects the water sector, pressing Egypt to place water at the heart of the global climate action.

At a meeting with French Ambassador to Egypt Marc Barety, the minister said that Egypt has succeeded in drawing global attention to the water sector through utilising international platforms to address water as a key to climate change adaptation and resilience.

Egypt has highlighted the water issues during the fifth Cairo Water Week, the UN 2023 Water Conference in March along with the UN Climate Change Conference (COP27), the minister added.

Sewilam shed light on national projects and measures adopted to boost climate resilience, like initiatives to protect shores and evade flood hazards.

Sewilam and Barety reviewed prospective co-operation in the domains of rehabilitation of irrigation canals via applying eco-friendly techniques, rehabilitation of water facilities, setting up and upgrading water desalination stations, as well establishing projects on protecting shores.

The minister highlighted the outcomes of the COP27 on the water file, including the launch of the Action for Water Adaptation and Resilience (AWARe) initiative, which seeks establishing projects in African countries to tackle climate change adoption, calling on the French side to support such an initiative.

Egypt is due to hold the sixth edition of the Cairo Water Week 2023 between October 29- November 2, under the theme “Action on Water Adaptation for Sustainability”, the minister said, inviting the French side to take part in the crucial event.

Source: State Information Service Egypt