Cairo: Egypt's Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation, and Egyptian Expatriates, Badr Abdelatty, has reiterated the country's rejection of unilateral measures that contravene international law in the Eastern Nile Basin. Emphasizing that consensus should guide the relationships among riparian states sharing transboundary waterways, Abdelatty delivered his remarks at a significant event.

According to State Information Service Egypt, the comments were made during the signing ceremony for the establishment of a UNESCO Chair focused on the Management and Governance of Transboundary Waters. This event took place at the National Water Research Center (NWRC), which is under the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation. The ceremony saw the presence of Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation Hani Sewilam and Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research Abdelaziz Konsowa, who also leads Egypt's National Commission for UNESCO.

Abdelatty praised the collaborative efforts between Egypt and UNESCO in the domains of science, research, and capacity-building. He noted that Egypt's role in hosting multiple UNESCO Chairs across various disciplines underscores the country's leading academic and scientific institutions. He highlighted water issues as one of the world's critical challenges, particularly in areas sharing transboundary resources, and stressed the importance of scientific cooperation and knowledge exchange for sustainable management.

The foreign minister also emphasized UNESCO's crucial role in fostering scientific diplomacy and international cooperation on water management through its specialized programs, notably the Intergovernmental Hydrological Program. He expressed optimism that the newly established UNESCO Chair will further research on transboundary water cooperation and aid in training experts to tackle the challenges associated with managing shared water resources.

Abdelatty concluded by stressing the necessity for scientific solutions, along with improved coordination and consultation among riparian countries, to ensure mutual benefits and enhance stability and development throughout the region.