As part of the 7th Cairo Water Week, Egypt and the Netherlands Sign Memorandum of Understanding to Strengthen Cooperation in Water Management and Climate Change Adaptation

As part of the 7th Cairo Water Week, Egypt and the Netherlands Sign Memorandum of Understanding to Strengthen Cooperation in Water Management and Climate Change Adaptation

 

Dr. Rania Al-Mashat: Enhancing international partnerships aimed at promoting the green transformation and achieving economic development.

Dr. Hani Sewilam: Climate change negatively affects coastal areas, and we aim to utilize environmentally friendly natural materials for the protection of Egypt's shores.

 

As part of the activities of the 7th Cairo Water Week, H.E. Dr. Rania A. Al-Mashat, Minister of Planning and Economic Development, Dr. Hani Sewilam, Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation, and Ms. Meike van Ginneken, the Dutch Special Envoy for Water, witnessed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Egyptian General Authority for Coastal Protection and the Dutch Embassy in Cairo. The MoU aims to strengthen joint efforts in water management and climate change adaptation. The MoU was signed by Dr. Essam Khalifa, Chairman of the Egyptian General Authority for Coastal Protection, and Ms. Eva Wittmann, Acting Dutch Ambassador to Cairo.

 

The signing of the MoU comes within the framework of the strong partnership between the Arab Republic of Egypt and the Kingdom of the Netherlands, as well as the long-term partnership between the two countries in various development areas, with water being a priority. This MoU enhances cooperation between the two countries in adapting to climate change, particularly in light of the negative impacts of climate change on water and natural resources. This will be achieved through leveraging the technical, economic, and administrative capabilities of governmental entities and private sector companies from both sides to continue supporting collaboration in water management and climate change adaptation.

 

The MoU aims to research sand sources in the maritime border area of the Nile Delta in Egypt in order to prepare feasibility studies for adaptation strategies that rely on beach nourishment using sand.

 

In H.E.’s speech, Dr. Rania Al-Mashat, Minister of Planning and Economic Development, commended the partnership between the Netherlands and national entities in supporting Egypt's efforts in addressing climate change. H.E. emphasized that climate change now significantly impacts development efforts across countries, pointing out that Egypt has launched several sectoral strategies to enhance climate action and reduce the vulnerability of coastal areas to climate change. These include the National Climate Change Strategy 2050, the National Sustainable Energy Strategy 2030, the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), and the National Water Strategy, as well as structural reforms aimed at encouraging private sector involvement in green transformation initiatives.

 

H.E. Minister Al-Mashat highlighted that the Ministry of Planning and Economic Development, in collaboration with international partners, continues to strengthen international partnerships aimed at supporting the green transformation and enhancing climate change mitigation and adaptation efforts. These efforts are pursued through initiatives that promote local, regional, and international startups and small- and medium-sized enterprises, as well as through ongoing programs and projects on the ground. In this regard, the COP27 climate conference in Egypt marked a turning point in Egypt's relations with development partners to support climate action.

 

The Minister of Planning and Economic Development also mentioned that the Country Platform for the "NWFE" program includes nine priority projects in the areas of mitigation and adaptation across water, food, and energy sectors. The program contributes to mobilizing climate investments, grants, and innovative mechanisms to support coastal area adaptation to climate change, expand early warning systems, increase renewable energy capacities, and prepare small farmers to cope with climate change, ultimately contributing to inclusive economic development in Egypt.

 

In his speech, Dr. Hani Sewilam, Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation, emphasized Egypt's commitment to enhancing cooperation with the Netherlands in the field of water, a cooperation that dates back to the 1970s with the establishment of the Egyptian-Dutch Advisory Board. This collaboration has resulted in numerous successes, the exchange of knowledge in water management, and the implementation of the "Egypt-Netherlands Applied Research Program" (Water-JCAR), a model of successful applied research cooperation between the two countries that has produced several important research studies.

 

He added that climate change has become a reality, evident in many extreme weather phenomena affecting coastal areas, necessitating the adoption of effective measures to address this challenge through projects that protect Egypt’s shores from these impacts.

 

Dr. Sewilam reiterated Egypt's continued commitment to implementing climate change adaptation projects and protecting coastal areas from its adverse effects. He highlighted Egypt’s pioneering project to protect the northern coasts, namely the "Enhancing Climate Change Adaptation in the Northern Coast and Nile Delta" project, which is one of the leading global projects relying on environmentally friendly natural materials to protect the shores. The Ministry is also studying the use of eco-friendly materials in canal rehabilitation works. The study on transporting sand from the Delta’s marine area and using it for beach protection is part of Egypt’s strategy to adopt natural, environmentally friendly methods for shore protection whenever possible.

Egypt and the Netherlands Sign Memorandum of Understanding to Strengthen Cooperation in Water Management and Climate Change Adaptation