Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation Hani Sewilam and First Special Envoy for International Water Affairs for the Kingdom of the Netherlands Henk Ovink reviewed Tuesday the activities of an Egyptian-Dutch water committee on water affairs.
During a meeting between the two officials on the margins of “Cairo Water Week (CWW 2022), which kicked off on Sunday under the theme: “Water at the Heart of Climate Action,” Sewilam asserted the importance of mutual cooperation in executing an early warning system for coastal flooding in complementary with an Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) monitoring system.
The minister also underscored the need for providing adequate training for the workers affiliated with his ministry’s Public Authority for Shore Protection, and embarking on a new phase of an integrated management project for the North Coast and the Nile Delta.
The project aims to protect the densely populated low-lying lands in the Nile Delta.
The two sides also discussed ongoing preparations for the coming global climate summit, COP27 Egypt will host in Sharm El Sheikh on November 7-18, and the 2023 Conference for the Midterm Comprehensive Review of Implementation of the UN Decade for Action on Water and Sanitation (2018-2028) in March.
The Nile Delta hosts 18 million citizens – almost a quarter of Egypt’s population — as well as countless businesses, economic sectors, farms and more. This region accounts for more than half of Egypt’s economic activity through agriculture, industry and fisheries. The Nile Delta alone contributes about 20 percent of Egypt’s GDP.
Scheduled to last till Wednesday, the CWW 2022 is bringing together water actors and stockholders around the world to present and discuss key issues, policies, strategies, plans, and measures related to climate-water challenges.
It is organized by the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation in collaboration with national, regional, and international partners, under the auspices of President Abdel Fatah El Sisi.
Over 1,000 persons are participating in the event, including, 16 ministerial delegations, 54 official delegations, and 66 relevant international organizations.
Source: State Information Service Egypt