Irrigation and Water Resources Minister Hani Sewilam has praised current good cooperation between the ministry and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP).

The minister’s remarks came during his meeting with Abdallah Al Dardari, Assistant Secretary-General and Director of the UNDP bureau for Arab states, to discuss means to boost future cooperation between both sides.

Sewilam shed light on the UNDP-supported project for ‘Enhancing climate change adaptation in the North Coast and Nile Delta Regions in Egypt.

The project is funded by a grant from the Green Climate Fund in cooperation with the United Nations Development Program at a value of USD 31.4 million. The project aims to protect the densely populated low-lying lands in the Nile Delta, the home of 25 percent of the Egyptian population, which have been identified as highly vulnerable to climate change induced sea-level rise.

The project will also support the development of an Integrated Coastal Zone Management Plan (ICZM) for the North Coast of E
gypt that links the plan for shore protection from sea-level rise with the national development plan of the coastal zones.

The minister also highlighted the importance of the international initiative to adapt to climate change (AWARe) that Egypt launched during the activities of the 2022 UN climate conference, COP27, noting that it will contribute to meeting Africa’s development requirements in the areas related to water resources and adaptation to climate change, and providing the necessary training to African cadres.

For his part, Al Dardari commended great efforts exerted by the Irrigation Ministry in different sectors, particularly efforts focused on upgrading water systems and adapting to climate change effects.

Source: State Information Service Egypt