Berlin: Egyptian Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation and Chairman of the African Water Facility (AWF) Governing Council, Hani Sewilam, arrived in Germany for a series of high-level meetings. The meetings aim to strengthen international partnerships supporting water security and sustainable development in Africa and mobilize the resources, expertise, and technologies needed to turn African water priorities into bankable, implementable projects. The visit is part of Egypt's presidency of the AWF Governing Council, highlighting the country's growing role in supporting water and development issues across Africa.
According to State Information Service Egypt, the AWF is among the continent's key mechanisms for preparing bankable water projects and mobilizing the investments needed to implement them. Since its establishment, it has approved 152 projects covering all 54 African countries and helped mobilize over £1.9 billion in subsequent financing for project implementation. The facility is currently implementing its 2026-2030 strategy, which seeks to strengthen its role as a leading continental facility for preparing bankable water projects, stimulating investment, and increasing private-sector participation.
The strategy aligns with Africa's Water Vision and Policy 2063 and aims to translate African priorities into projects, investments, and tangible development outcomes. The minister is scheduled to meet German Federal Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development, Reem Alabali Radovan, to discuss establishing a long-term strategic partnership. The discussions will include frameworks for multi-year German contributions to the AWF's core resources, enhancing its capacity to prepare more bankable water projects and expanding institutional cooperation.
The cooperation seeks to connect well-prepared African projects with German financing, expertise, technologies, and implementation capabilities. The visit will also involve a meeting with the German Water Partnership (GWP) to discuss establishing a structured cooperation channel linking AWF-prepared projects in African countries with German companies and research and technology institutions. This initiative would promote greater participation by the German private sector in water, sanitation, infrastructure, and innovation projects across Africa.
As part of Egypt's role in supporting African water security, Egypt will present its experience in implementing the 'Second Generation of Water Management 2.0.' This experience includes digital transformation and smart water management, asset management, water reuse, infrastructure modernization, and improved operation and maintenance efficiency. Discussions will also address ways to leverage this expertise through Egyptian-German partnerships for technology transfer, capacity building, and the development of water solutions tailored to African countries' needs.
The irrigation minister is accompanied on the visit by a high-level delegation from the AWF, along with senior officials and experts.