Egypt’s Minister of Planning and Economic Development participates in a high-level workshop entitled "Water Scarcity, Livelihoods, Food Security and Human Rights"

Dr. Hala El-Said, Minister of Planning and Economic Development, participated recently in a high-level virtual workshop entitled "Water Scarcity, Livelihoods, Food Security and Human Rights", held under the auspices of Egypt, Ecuador, Fiji, Hungary, Jordan, and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO).


During her speech at the workshop, El-Said emphasized that the issue of water scarcity, livelihoods, food security, and human rights has important implications for the lives and well-being of millions of people around the world.

El-Said indicated that Egypt is highly vulnerable to the potential impacts of the global water crisis. Especially as it is a country with a high population density.
“Egypt is already struggling to cope with the increasing shortage of water, relying on one source of water, the Nile River, which represents 97% of its water resources,” She said. The annual per capita water supply in Egypt is currently estimated at 560 cubic meters, nearly 50% below the global water poverty line, and by 2025, this is expected to decrease to around 500 cubic meters.


El-Said added that Egypt has long realized the inevitability of sound management of water resources, so it embarked on implementing an ambitious agenda for the integrated management of water resources to achieve the sixth goal of the sustainable development goals and other objectives related to water.

This agenda includes access to clean drinking water and sanitation, improving water quality, and tackling water scarcity, by promoting water use efficiency and recycling.

“ Egypt is also implementing integrated management of water resources at all levels, including cooperation in the field of transboundary water resources,” She added.

Concerning clean drinking water and sanitation, El-Said explained that the Egyptian government has sought since 2014 to make the water and sanitation sector more equitable and sustainable, and in 2020, the coverage of safely managed drinking water reached about 99% of citizens, while safely managed sanitation was increased from 50% to 65%.


 Egypt has also invested heavily in the areas of addressing water scarcity and improving water quality by enhancing water use efficiency, recycling, and reuse. This contributes to decent work in labor-intensive diets and food security.



El-Said emphasized that agriculture is one of the largest sectors of the Egyptian economy, employing nearly 30% of the workforce and providing livelihoods for 57% of the population.

 El-Said noted the participation of most rural women in agricultural activities, especially those related to food security and animal production, explaining that Egypt's Vision 2030 ensures the empowerment of all sectors of society to build decent livelihoods.

El-Said highlighted the Egyptian Rural Development Project, the "Decent Life" initiative, which aims to develop more than 4,200 villages over three years, at a cost of more than $ 30 billion.

This presidential initiative aims to eradicate poverty and provide basic services, including water and sanitation. The National Strategic Plan for Water Resources in Egypt allocates EGP 900 billion to the areas of water quality improvement, water conservation, and the development of new water sources.

El-Said added that these measures also include modernizing and rehabilitating the irrigation system, and the state's reliance on new systems, including switching to water-efficient crops and lining irrigation canals.

The government has also made significant investments in the management and reuse of treated wastewater, as well as in promoting water harvesting, storage, and desalination.

These efforts also contribute to achieving the second goal of the sustainable development goals on eradicating hunger and doubling agricultural productivity and the incomes of small farmers, in particular the third and fourth goals.

The Minister of Planning and Economic Development concluded her speech by emphasizing that ensuring the human rights associated with access to water requires more effective mechanisms at the level of the United Nations and its organizations.