Nile Water Sector

As part of its efforts to bond cooperation with Nile Basin countries, particularly Uganda, a delegation from Egypt’s Nile Water Sector, led by Dr. Aref Gharib, visited Uganda on July 24, 2025. A joint technical meeting was held with Uganda’s Ministry of Water and Environment to discuss future action plans under a new Memorandum of Understanding on water resources management, set to be signed soon.

The MoU will include key development projects focused on managing water resources and improving access to drinking water in remote areas. Uganda expressed its appreciation for Egypt’s continued support in improving water management and water services and livelihoods.

‏As part of over 25 years of strong cooperation between Egypt and Uganda, a delegation led by Dr. Aref Gharib, Head of the Nile Water Sector, visited Kamawunga landing site on Lake Victoria on July 23, 2025 to follow up sixth phase activities for aquatic w**d removal and the construction of a fish market. They also visited the third phase if Aquatic w**d control project in the same site which aims to promotes clean energy through biogas in rural areas, reducing reliance on firewood. It includes building biogas units, training locals to remove water w**ds manually, and producing organic fertilizer to increase agriculture productivity .
These efforts come as part of the Egyptian grant provided to uganda, reflecting Egypt’s commitment to strengthening cooperation and integration with the Nile Basin countries.

Dr. Aref Gharib, Head of the Nile Water Sector, extends his heartfelt congratulations to Dr. Hassan Tolba Abu El-Naga, Advisor to the Permanent Joint Technical Commission for Nile Water, on receiving a prestigious international water award from the International Water Resources Association (IWRA).

This honor reflects Egypt’s growing influence in global water policy and highlights Dr. Abu El-Naga’s key role in linking science with policy. His contributions also include capacity-building within the Ministry, especially in advancing knowledge on the Water-Energy-Food-Ecosystems Nexus (WEFE).
Dr. PMP Hassan Aboelnga

As part of the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation’s ongoing commitment to support and foster youth and innovation initiatives in the field of water,
Dr. Aref Gharib, Head of the Nile Water Sector, participated today—on behalf of H.E. Professor Dr. Hani Sewilam, Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation—in the judging session of the “Stockholm Junior Water Prize – Egypt 2025” competition.
The event was organized by the Center for Environment and Development for the Arab Region and Europe (CEDARE), in collaboration with the Embassy of Sweden in Cairo.

In his speech, Dr. Gharib conveyed the Minister’s greetings to the attendees, emphasizing the Ministry’s unwavering support for all initiatives aimed at promoting a culture of innovation among youth.
He highlighted the Ministry’s interest in proposing and implementing practical solutions in areas such as water resource management, water reuse, and desalination for intensive food production.

He also delivered a message of encouragement to the young participants in the competition, expressing his support for the winning project that will represent Egypt in the international finals in Stockholm.
He stressed that there are no losers in this event—everyone is a winner for the experience and knowledge they have gained.
He underlined the importance of continued efforts in scientific research and innovation to ensure a sustainable water future.

He concluded his speech by extending sincere thanks to the management of CEDARE, the Embassy of Sweden in Cairo, and the families of the participating students for their vital role in supporting the youth and providing a nurturing environment to develop their talents.

Closing of the Twelfth Meeting of the Joint Steering Committee for the Egypt-Uganda Aquatic Weeds Control Project in the Great Lakes Region
The twelfth session of the Joint Steering Committee for the Egypt-Uganda Project to Control Aquatic Weeds in the Great Lakes concluded its proceedings in Cairo, held from May 28 to 29, 2025.
The meetings reflect the ongoing commitment of both the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation of the Arab Republic of Egypt and the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry, and Fisheries of the Republic of Uganda to strengthen joint efforts in controlling aquatic w**ds and addressing environmental challenges in Uganda’s Great Lakes. Also; these efforts aim to promote economic and social development—most notably through the construction of a landing site and fish market in Kamawunga on Lake Victoria, in one of the districts of the Ugandan capital, Kampala. The initiative seeks to benefit local communities and support the vital fishing sector, which remains one of Uganda's key livelihoods.
At the close of the meeting, the Ugandan delegation expressed its sincere appreciation to the Arab Republic of Egypt for its continued support and spirit of constructive cooperation. They also emphasized the importance of sustaining coordination and dialogue to further enhance the strong ties of friendship and brotherhood between the two countries.

The Nile Water Sector participated in the regional training program held from April 20 to May 1, 2025, with 19 trainees representing 16 African countries (Namibia, Togo, Gabon, Senegal, Cameroon, Mali, Equatorial Guinea, Guinea-Conakry, Mauritania, Rwanda, Burkina Faso, Zambia, Somalia, Kenya, Djibouti, and Malawi). The program, titled “Geographic Information Systems and Remote Sensing Technologies,” was organized in collaboration with the Regional Training Center for Water Resources and Irrigation, the African Center for Water and Climate Adaptation (PACWA), and the Egyptian Agency of Partnership for Development under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Its aim was to build technical capacities, facilitate knowledge exchange, and strengthen mutual understanding of water-related issues across Africa, particularly those concerning the Nile River Basin and its hydrology.

Throughout the training, participants were exposed to several presentations covering key water sector topics. Engineer Maha Rabie presented the various stages of bilateral cooperation projects with Nile Basin countries. Engineer Mohamed Abdel Hai presented insights into the hydrology of the Nile River Basin and its main characteristics. Engineer Mohamed Khaled discussed the challenges and opportunities of managing transboundary water resources and emphasized the importance of collaborative approaches. Additionally, Engineer Sara Zureiq addressed the external cooperation between Egypt and the basin countries, as well as ways to support regional initiatives across Africa.

This program reflects Egypt’s steadfast commitment to supporting development across the African continent by sharing expertise, enhancing capacity-building efforts, and promoting the sustainable and integrated management of shared water resources. Such initiatives play a vital role in achieving long-term water security and fostering regional cooperation, especially in the context of climate change and increasing demand for water.

Dr. Aref Gharib – Head of the Nile Water Sector, and Eng. Loay Saif El-Din – Director General of Mathematical Models, participated in the 89th meeting of the Board of Governors of the World Water Council, held in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, on April 13, 2025.

During the meeting, the minutes of the previous session, held on December 15–16, 2024, in Barcelona, Spain, were approved. The annual report on the activities of the World Water Council for 2024 was also presented and discussed, along with key events and contributions since the last Board of Governors meeting.

Coordinators of the technical working groups reviewed the status of ongoing activities and outlined future action plans in the areas of water security and sustainability, water for the environment and populations, financing, water quality and health, and the management of water and renewable energy.

The meeting also addressed the main preparations for the 11th World Water Forum, scheduled to be held in Saudi Arabia in 2027.

Additionally, the main features of the 2025 global water agenda, in which the World Water Council will participate, were reviewed. Key upcoming events include Cairo Water Week, the International Commission on Large Dams (ICOLD) Congress, the International Water Resources Association (IWRA) Congress, and the International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage (ICID) Congress.

Participation of a Delegation from the Ministries of Water Resources and Irrigation and Foreign Affairs in the UNESCO Workshop on Reviving the FRIEND-Nile Initiative
A delegation from the Ministries of Water Resources and Irrigation and Foreign Affairs, headed by Dr. Aref Gharib, Head of the Nile Water Affairs Sector, participated in a workshop organized by the International Hydrological Programme (IHP) of UNESCO to revive the FRIEND-Nile initiative. The workshop was held from March 24 to 25, 2025, at the UNESCO headquarters in Paris.

Representatives from Egypt, Sudan, South Sudan, Kenya, Ethiopia, Tanzania, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Uganda took part in the workshop.

The workshop aimed to review the achievements of the two previous phases of the initiative, which spanned from 2000 to 2012. It also focused on discussing the current state of hydrological knowledge, monitoring networks, and data exchange mechanisms within the basin, as well as identifying the challenges facing integrated water resources management in the Nile Basin.

Additionally, participants reached a consensus on short- and long-term priorities that address the current needs of the basin countries and align with the objectives of the FRIEND-Nile initiative. These priorities particularly focus on analyzing hydrological behavior patterns, capacity building, and improving data systems, while also complementing the implementation plan for the ninth phase of the International Hydrological Programme strategy.

The workshop also aimed to foster dialogue and enhance regional cooperation among the basin countries. The outcomes of the workshop are expected to contribute to the development of an initial roadmap for the next phase of the FRIEND-Nile initiative, which will be presented to donors and development partners to secure financial and technical support.

As part of the ministry’s ongoing efforts to strengthen engineers’ capabilities and refine their expertise, periodic sessions and seminars are organized to foster communication and facilitate knowledge exchange across various domains of the ministry’s operations. In this context, the Nile Water Affairs Sector held a specialized seminar featuring the participation of engineers from different sectors and affiliated bodies within the ministry. The seminar focused on an in-depth discussion of "The Water-Energy-Food-Ecosystem (WEFE) Nexus Approach."
The lecture, titled "The WEFE Nexus Approach," was presented by Dr. Hassan Abu Al-Naga on Wednesday, March 12, 2025, at the ministry’s headquarters in the New Administrative Capital. This seminar is part of a broader series designed to raise awareness and deepen understanding of this concept.