Egypt’s Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation, Hani Sewilam, met on Monday with the Dutch Ambassador to Cairo, Peter Mollema, to review progress on joint water initiatives and explore new avenues for cooperation in sustainable water management, according to an official statement from the ministry.
The discussions focused on the ongoing project “Modernizing Irrigation Technologies to Improve Smallholder Livelihoods in Upper Egypt,” implemented in partnership with the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and funded by the Dutch government. Both parties emphasised the need to accelerate implementation in the target governorates of Assiut, Sohag, and Qena.
Sewilam underlined the importance of boosting awareness efforts through workshops and field sessions to educate farmers on the benefits of modern irrigation systems, including improved crop productivity, increased income, and enhanced product quality.
The meeting also addressed plans to sign a memorandum of understanding with the Dutch organisation Invest International to conduct a feasibility study on “hotspots” along Egypt’s Mediterranean coast. These vulnerable areas would be protected using eco-friendly sand nourishment techniques as part of Egypt’s broader move toward nature-based coastal protection solutions.
Preparations are also underway to mark the 50th anniversary of Egyptian-Dutch cooperation in water management, dating back to the founding of the Egyptian-Dutch Advisory Panel on Water Management in 1975. Commemorative events are planned during the upcoming 8th Cairo Water Week in October.
Finally, officials discussed renewing the memorandum of understanding governing the Egyptian-Dutch High Committee on Water, which outlines collaboration on water resource management, coastal zone protection, and adaptation to climate change.
