Experts advised Egypt on Modernization of Water sector

Water Managements Experts have advised Egypt to focus more on home-grown tailor-made versions of improved planning and monitoring instruments as prerequisite for the sustainable management of water resources.

With the increasing number of population in the Nile basin it is advisable for Egypt to contribute to a new BASIN- WIDE water policy, Experts said.

Speaking at the Egypt First Cairo Water week, Mr. Ebel Smidt and Prof. Mohamed Nour el-Din, Senior Water Resources Management Experts for EU Water STARS project dealing with modernization of the Water Sector, confirmed the common interests between Egypt and EU in Water Management.

They said Egyptian and international institutions can profit from better cooperation amongst all stakeholders in stimulating higher water productivity taking into consideration the increased water demand for water users in coming years.

In common with current global thinking on how to solve water management issues, Egypt has adopted an Integrated Water Management Resources (IWRM) approach which combines the promotion of coordinated development and management of water, land and related resources in order to maximize the resulting economic and social welfare in an equitable manner without compromising the sustainability of the vital ecosystem.

The growing population of Egypt and related urbanization, industrial and agricultural activities has increased the demand for water to a level that reaches the international definition of absolute water scarcity (less than 500 m³/cap/yr available water).

The population of Egypt has been growing from a mere 38 million in the year 1977 to 76 million in the year 2008, around 95 million at present and is expected to grow to 154 million in the year 2050.

Presenting on the status of water management modernization in Egypt, Ebel Smidt highlighted challenges that Egypt is facing which include demography, the upstream water developments, climate change, investment environment and institutional and governance climate.

He added that Water Management Modernization is part of a transformation process to a sustainable, post-classical industrial society.

“Home-grown tailor-made versions of the water management methods are a prerequisite for its sustainability”, he added.

During his participation in the “Cairo Water Week” conference’s first edition, Egypt’s President Sisi expressed Egypt’s willingness to direct its resources towards exchanging knowledge with the world, especially within human development, as well as creating projects to maximize the output of water resources.

Sisi added that Egypt was keen on organizing the conference to raise awareness of water issues.

The president took the opportunity to highlight Egypt’s efforts to save water through various projects, such as creating the largest water treatment facilities in the world as well as desalination facilities. Sisi also addressed Egypt’s national greenhouse project, which aims to battle food shortages as well as maximize on the use of fertile lands, in addition to preserving water.

Finally, the president expressed confidence that African countries will be capable of achieving self-sufficiency in food if a railway system was established between them to help exchange of agricultural and industrial products.