Egypt’s Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation, Hani Sewilam, reaffirmed on Tuesday his country’s commitment to supporting the African Water Facility (AWF) during Egypt’s two-year chairmanship of the organisation, which began in April 2025. Sewilam also serves as Chair of the AWF Governing Board.
The announcement came during his meeting with AWF Executive Director Metshere Johannes on the sidelines of World Water Week in Stockholm, according to a statement by the ministry.
Sewilam confirmed that Egypt will host the 25th meeting of the AWF Board of Governors in November 2025, where discussions will focus on the facility’s post-2025 strategy and the approval of the 2026 annual work plan. He stressed that project planning will ensure balanced representation across Africa’s regions.
The minister underscored the importance of strengthening AWF’s presence in international water forums and linking its efforts to climate adaptation, research, and innovation. He also called for enhanced South–South cooperation and greater knowledge exchange among African countries.
Sewilam urged international partners and donors to step up financial contributions in support of African water projects, highlighting Egypt’s launch of a $100m financing mechanism to fund development and infrastructure initiatives in the Southern Nile Basin countries.
