Latest news with #ArabWaterWeek
Zawya
06-05-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Egypt, Jordan explore joint projects in water, food, and energy sectors
On the sidelines of the seventh Arab Water Week in Amman, Egypt's Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation, Hani Sewilam, met with Prince El Hassan bin Talal of Jordan to discuss enhanced bilateral cooperation in the water and natural resources sectors. The meeting was also attended by Egypt's Ambassador to Jordan, Mohamed Samir, and Marwan Al-Raggad, President of the Islamic Network on Water Resources Development and Management. Talks centered on strengthening collaboration between Egypt's Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation and Jordan's Ministry of Water and Irrigation, with a particular focus on joint initiatives under the 'Water-Energy-Food-Ecosystems Nexus' (WEFE NEXUS) framework. Opportunities for cooperation through the Islamic Network on Water Resources Development and Management were also discussed. Minister Sewilam highlighted the critical role of desalination in enabling large-scale food production, noting that its viability depends on significantly lowering energy costs. He announced that Egypt, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia are currently preparing a regional initiative to exchange expertise in desalination technologies to support sustainable agricultural expansion. The discussion also covered Egypt's flagship agricultural wastewater treatment projects—including the New Delta, Bahr El-Baqar, and Al-Mahsama plants—which are expected to contribute around 5 billion cubic meters of treated water annually by 2026. Both sides explored possibilities for knowledge exchange in wastewater reuse and treatment. Additionally, the two parties emphasized the importance of subsurface drainage systems, which have proven to improve crop yield and quality. They also stressed the need for joint scientific research on developing salt- and drought-tolerant crop varieties as part of a wider climate adaptation strategy. The conversation highlighted the urgency of implementing tangible projects to adapt to climate change, referencing Egypt's ongoing coastal protection efforts along the Mediterranean as a model. Participants called on industrialized countries—responsible for the bulk of global greenhouse gas emissions—to provide climate financing to Arab countries in the form of grants rather than loans, acknowledging the region's minimal contribution to global emissions. The meeting concluded with a shared call to deepen Arab cooperation through knowledge-sharing, the dissemination of climate adaptation success stories, and the wider adoption of nature-based solutions in future water infrastructure projects. © 2024 Daily News Egypt. Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. ( Daily News Egypt
Daily News Egypt
06-05-2025
- Business
- Daily News Egypt
Egypt, Jordan explore joint projects in water, food, and energy sectors
On the sidelines of the seventh Arab Water Week in Amman, Egypt's Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation, Hani Sewilam, met with Prince El Hassan bin Talal of Jordan to discuss enhanced bilateral cooperation in the water and natural resources sectors. The meeting was also attended by Egypt's Ambassador to Jordan, Mohamed Samir, and Marwan Al-Raggad, President of the Islamic Network on Water Resources Development and Management. Talks centered on strengthening collaboration between Egypt's Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation and Jordan's Ministry of Water and Irrigation, with a particular focus on joint initiatives under the 'Water-Energy-Food-Ecosystems Nexus' (WEFE NEXUS) framework. Opportunities for cooperation through the Islamic Network on Water Resources Development and Management were also discussed. Minister Sewilam highlighted the critical role of desalination in enabling large-scale food production, noting that its viability depends on significantly lowering energy costs. He announced that Egypt, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia are currently preparing a regional initiative to exchange expertise in desalination technologies to support sustainable agricultural expansion. The discussion also covered Egypt's flagship agricultural wastewater treatment projects—including the New Delta, Bahr El-Baqar, and Al-Mahsama plants—which are expected to contribute around 5 billion cubic meters of treated water annually by 2026. Both sides explored possibilities for knowledge exchange in wastewater reuse and treatment. Additionally, the two parties emphasized the importance of subsurface drainage systems, which have proven to improve crop yield and quality. They also stressed the need for joint scientific research on developing salt- and drought-tolerant crop varieties as part of a wider climate adaptation strategy. The conversation highlighted the urgency of implementing tangible projects to adapt to climate change, referencing Egypt's ongoing coastal protection efforts along the Mediterranean as a model. Participants called on industrialized countries—responsible for the bulk of global greenhouse gas emissions—to provide climate financing to Arab countries in the form of grants rather than loans, acknowledging the region's minimal contribution to global emissions. The meeting concluded with a shared call to deepen Arab cooperation through knowledge-sharing, the dissemination of climate adaptation success stories, and the wider adoption of nature-based solutions in future water infrastructure projects.
Jordan Times
04-05-2025
- Politics
- Jordan Times
Arab Water Week conference kicks off with focus on sustainability, regional cooperation
Minister of Water and Irrigation Raed Abu Saud on Sunday inaugurates the Arab Water Week conference (Petra photo) AMMAN — On behalf of Her Highness Princess Sumaya Bint El Hassan, President of the Royal Scientific Society, Minister of Water and Irrigation Raed Abu Saud on Sunday inaugurated the Arab Water Week conference. The event brings together participants from around the world, including donor institutions, funding agencies, and stakeholders in the water sector, according to a Ministry statement. Held at the King Hussein Bin Talal Convention Centre at the Dead Sea, the conference is themed 'Towards Efficiency and Sustainability in Utilities through the Water, Energy, Environment, and Food Nexus.' It is organised by the Arab Water Utilities Association (AQUWA), in cooperation with the Ministry of Water and Irrigation and the Arab Ministerial Water Council of the Arab League. In his opening remarks, Abu Saud emphasised Jordan's position as one of the most water-scarce countries in the world and outlined the growing challenges of water security and groundwater depletion. He highlighted the National Red Sea Desalination Project in Aqaba as a cornerstone of Jordan's strategy to ensure a sustainable and equitable water supply. The minister also pointed to national efforts to reduce water loss, prevent illegal usage, and adopt non-conventional water sources, stressing that such steps are vital to restoring groundwater levels and enhancing sector efficiency. He also underscored the importance of public-private partnerships, technological innovation, and community engagement in achieving long-term water sustainability. Abu Saud called for stronger regional and international cooperation to support sustainable development, enhance water and food security, and promote knowledge-sharing, technical training, and innovation. Egyptian Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation Hani Sweilam said the conference reflects a growing awareness that regional challenges, especially in water, energy, environment, and food, are interconnected and must be tackled through a unified nexus approach. He noted that 19 of 22 Arab countries are classified as water-stressed, with most falling below the severe water poverty line of 500 cubic metres per capita annually. Citing a 2023 UN report, he said over 90 per cent of the Arab population faces critical water shortages, while 21 countries depend on transboundary water sources such as the Nile, Euphrates, and Jordan rivers, further complicating the region's water security due to geopolitical tensions. Yemeni Minister of Water and Environment Tawfiq Sharbaji commended Jordan and Egypt's water governance experiences and expressed Yemen's interest in adopting similar models to improve its own water and irrigation infrastructure. Secretary-General of AQUWA Khaldoun Khashman said that Arab Water Week has become a leading platform for dialogue among experts, policymakers, and private-sector leaders, facilitating cooperation and regional partnerships on pressing water-related issues. The five-day event features 35 technical sessions and over 160 international experts discussing topics such as smart water technologies, climate resilience, institutional reform, financial planning, and progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). On the sidelines of the conference, Minister Abu Saud and German Ambassador to Jordan Bertram von Moltke launched the Ministry's new digital e-library, aimed at expanding access to knowledge and supporting research in the water sector.
