Sisi: Egypt faces water challenges as Nile provides over 98% of renewable water resources

CAIRO, Oct 25 (MENA) – President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said Egypt faces a unique water challenge due to its geographical location and heavy reliance on the Nile River, which it shares with other Nile Basin countries and which provides more than 98 percent of its renewable water resources.

With population growth, rising water and food needs and the escalating impacts of climate change, Egypt continues to work to improve water-use efficiency, develop its water resources, and maximize their utilization, Sisi said.

In a recorded address delivered on Sunday at the opening of the ninth edition of Cairo Water Week, Sisi said one of humanity’s greatest civilizations had flourished along the banks of the Nile in Egypt since the dawn of history.

The Nile had been the foundation of stability and a driving force for development and prosperity, he said, adding that it was not merely a river for Egypt, but had always been and remained the lifeblood of the country and a bridge for communication and cooperation among peoples.

Speaking from the land of the Nile and civilization, Sisi welcomed participants in the ninth edition of Cairo Water Week, which has become an international platform for dialogue, the exchange of expertise and the building of partnerships.

“This year, we meet under the theme ‘Water as a Catalyst for Peace, Shared Prosperity and a Sustainable Planet,’” he said, describing the theme as a reflection of Egypt’s belief in the role of water in achieving development and strengthening stability and cooperation among countries and peoples.

Sisi affirmed that water issues rank high on Egypt’s foreign policy agenda as a driver of cooperation and shared prosperity, rather than a political tool for fueling conflicts and disputes.

The President said Egypt fully recognizes that it is not alone in facing these challenges, as countries worldwide are threatened by water scarcity, rising risks of droughts and floods and mounting pressure on resources amid growing demand for water, food and energy.

Water security has become a shared responsibility requiring genuine international cooperation, mobilization of funding, technology transfer and capacity building, he said.

Sisi added that Egypt attaches great importance to strengthening water cooperation based on respect for relevant international law at both the African and Arab levels. He also stressed Egypt’s commitment to exchanging expertise and developing projects and partnerships that serve the interests of their peoples.

Sisi affirmed that Egypt respects and supports the right of all Nile Basin countries to development, noting that Cairo has translated this position into practical action through cooperation with fellow African countries on proposed projects under investment programs in the southern Nile Basin, particularly in energy, agriculture and irrigation.

He said the experience had demonstrated that prior notification, the exchange of studies and consultations are practical tools for mobilizing project financing, building trust and safeguarding the interests of all parties, rather than means of obstructing development or imposing guardianship over any country.

He said the experience showed that genuine cooperation was possible when political will was present, adding that Egypt sought to extend this approach to the eastern Nile Basin in a way that serves the interests of Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia.

Every country has the right to develop and benefit from its natural resources, provided that it exercises this right responsibly without harming other countries or jeopardizing their water security, Sisi said. The fact that a river’s headwaters lie within a country’s territory does not give it the right to exercise unilateral control over a resource shared by several peoples, he added.

Sisi said Egypt had consciously chosen the path of cooperation and dialogue, based on its confidence in the justness of its cause and the legality of its position. Protecting the interests of the Egyptian people was a responsibility that Egypt would not shirk, he said, stressing that any expectation that Egypt would accept a fait accompli or compromise its water security was misplaced.

He added that Egypt had taken the lead in advocating cooperation based on international law, consultation, coordination, good-neighborly relations and the principle of causing no harm.

“We are one family united by the Nile, and our shared interests are greater than our differences,” Sisi said, noting that the Nile Basin possesses extensive resources and potential that, if managed and developed effectively, could meet the needs and aspirations of its peoples.

He called for joint efforts to transform these resources into partnerships that maximize shared benefits, safeguard the rights of all countries, and make the Nile a source of development, prosperity and stability for all Nile Basin peoples.

Sisi said the Nile has been a cradle of civilization and a bridge between peoples since the dawn of history, expressing Egypt’s desire to preserve it as a river that unites rather than divides, a resource whose benefits are shared by its peoples, and a waterway that safeguards the rights of all rather than an arena for imposing unilateral will.

Sisi renewed Egypt’s call to make water a catalyst for peace and shared prosperity, and to work together to move from crisis management to developing solutions and from commitments to implementation.

Announcing the opening of the ninth edition of Cairo Water Week, Sisi wished participants success in their deliberations and expressed hope that joint efforts would yield tangible results that strengthen peace and help secure a safer, fairer and more prosperous future for their peoples. (MENA)