Cairo: Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation Dr. Hani Sewilam engaged in discussions with Nermeen El-Zawahry, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs and Secretary-General of the Egyptian Agency of Partnership for Development (EAPD), focusing on strategies to bolster cooperation among Egypt and the Nile Basin countries.According to State Information Service Egypt, the meeting highlighted measures to activate the memorandum of understanding signed with Uganda in August 2025. This agreement encompasses the construction of water reservoirs, drilling new groundwater wells, mechanizing existing wells to operate using solar energy, and initiatives for training and capacity building. Similarly, they addressed the memorandum of understanding with Rwanda from September 2025, which involves drilling groundwater wells, constructing rainwater-harvesting dams, and facilitating training, capacity-building, and expertise exchange.The discussions also covered preparations for upcoming joint steering committee meetings involving technical teams from Egypt, Rwanda, and Uganda. These meetings aim to assess the progress of the memoranda of understanding and initiate the on-ground implementation of the projects outlined in these agreements.Minister Sewilam reiterated Egypt's commitment to development initiatives in the southern Nile Basin countries, emphasizing the crucial role of the Egyptian Agency of Partnership for Development and the Egyptian Initiative for the Development of Nile Basin Countries. These efforts aim to enhance cooperation, ensure mutual benefits, safeguard water resources, and optimize their use.This commitment is reflected in various joint projects and training programs executed in countries such as Sudan, South Sudan, Kenya, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, and Tanzania. Egypt has notably supported the establishment of pumping stations, the drilling of solar-powered groundwater wells, and the construction of infrastructure like river ports and reservoirs across these nations. Additional e fforts include establishing rainfall forecasting centers, water quality laboratories, and implementing projects for aquatic weed control and flood protection.Collectively, these initiatives have involved technical studies for integrated water resources management and training courses for 1,650 trainees from 52 African countries, with a total investment of USD 115 million dedicated to these projects.