Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi said on Monday that Egypt’s share of Nile water must not be compromised, stressing that “water is an exclusive right for everyone and cannot be exploited for political purposes.”
Speaking at the Al-Ittihadiya Palace to ministers and delegation heads participating in the 9th Cairo Water Week, Al-Sisi said prior notification, the exchange of studies, and consultation are essential tools for building trust and supporting project funding, rather than means to block development. He called for establishing this cooperative approach in the Eastern Nile Basin to achieve the interests of Egypt, Sudan, and Ethiopia.
Egypt relies on the Nile River for more than 98% of its renewable water resources. Al-Sisi noted that the country’s population has reached 110 m, in addition to 10 m resident foreigners, while the annual per capita water share has dropped to about 473 cubic metres.
Highlighting the region’s resources, Al-Sisi said the Nile Basin is not poor in water, receiving roughly 2,050 bn cubic metres of rain annually. However, only about 84 bn cubic metres—or 4% to 5%—reaches Aswan.
With four basin countries currently outside the framework agreement, Al-Sisi called for an inclusive framework that gathers all states by addressing their concerns through an agreed amendment or an annexed protocol via the Council of Ministers of Water.
To manage extreme water scarcity in a country where average annual rainfall does not exceed 18 millimetres, Al-Sisi said Egypt reuses about 23 bn cubic metres of water annually. The state has also launched a second-generation water system focused on smart management, digital transformation, and climate adaptation.
The meeting was attended by Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation Hani Sewilam and Minister of Foreign Affairs,Emigration and Egyptian Expatriates Badr Abdelatty.
Sewilam reiterated that the world faces unprecedented water challenges due to climate change, requiring flexible,proactive water systems. He stressed that the management of international rivers must be based on cooperation,transparency, and international law to serve the interests of all riparian states.
During the address, Al-Sisi also highlighted Egypt’s leadership roles in global and regional water diplomacy. Egypt chaired the African Ministers’ Council on Water from 2023 to 2025, established the African Center for Water and Climate Adaptation, and will chair the African Water Facility’s governing council for 2025-2027, with its 2026-2030 strategy adopted in Cairo.
Additionally, Egypt assumes the presidency of the Arab Ministerial Water Council’s 17th session this week, concurrent with hosting the 7th Arab Water Conference. Internationally, Egypt recently co-chaired the third interactive dialogue on “Water for the Planet” with Japan for the second consecutive time.
