Egypt will not accept threats to its water security, says Sisi

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi has warned that betting on Egypt accepting a fait accompli or any threat to its water security is a losing gamble.

Speaking at Cairo Water Week, El-Sisi said Egypt faces a unique water challenge due to its geography and its heavy reliance on the Nile River, which it shares with other basin countries and which provides over 98% of Egypt’s renewable water resources. With a growing population and increasing water and food needs, as well as the escalating impacts of climate change, Egypt continues to work on improving water use efficiency, developing its resources, and maximizing their benefits, while also supporting cooperation among Nile Basin countries to achieve water security and sustainable development for all peoples in the region.

He added that water security is a shared responsibility that requires genuine international cooperation, mobilization of funding, technology transfer, and capacity building. El-Sisi emphasized that Egypt attaches great importance to strengthening water cooperation based on respect for relevant international law, both in Africa and the Arab world, and is committed to sharing expertise and developing projects and partnerships.