Cairo: The Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation announced the removal of nearly 2,445 encroachments on waterways and state-owned irrigation property.

According to State Information Service Egypt, the Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation, Hani Sewilam, chaired a meeting to follow up on the removal campaign currently being carried out under the 29th nationwide wave of encroachment removals. The meeting reviewed details of the completed removals, including 1,117 encroachments cleared during the 27th wave and 1,158 during the 28th wave.

The meeting also addressed coordination efforts for the ongoing 29th wave, which is being implemented in cooperation with governorates, security authorities, the Ministry of Local Development, the Environment Ministry, and the State Land Recovery Committee. This collaboration resulted in the removal of 170 encroachments on irrigation property during its first week.

Sewilam directed heads of the ministry's central water resources and irrigation departments in all governorates to prepare weekly reports on the status of encroachment removals in each governorate. He also instructed the ministry's relevant bodies to continue removal operations nationwide in full coordination with the concerned state authorities, while maintaining periodic inspections of cleared land to prevent renewed encroachments. Additionally, he emphasized that all removals under the 29th wave should be recorded on the ministry's electronic encroachment and removal application.

The minister stated that the primary objective of removing encroachments on waterways is to improve management of the water system and ensure efficient water delivery to all beneficiaries. As part of the efforts to promote governance and digital transformation within the ministry, an 'Encroachments and Removals Application' had been launched as a geographic database to support accurate monitoring and preparation for future removal campaigns. Sewilam also announced the launch of a 'Licensing Application' to monitor permits issued by the ministry's various bodies and financial revenues.