Egyptian Minister of Water Resources Opens High-Level WEFE Nexus Conference in Cairo
The Egyptian Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation, Dr. Hani Sweilem, officially opened the high-level conference “Exploring and Achieving the Water-Energy-Food-Ecosystems Nexus for a Sustainable Future in Egypt, the Middle East, and North Africa”, organized under the EU-funded SURENEXUS project (PRIMA Partnership).
In his keynote speech, Dr. Sweilem emphasized the critical role of scientific research and innovation in addressing the complex challenges Egypt faces in the fields of water, food, and energy. He underlined that achieving the WEFE Nexus is one of the primary objectives of Egypt’s Second Generation Irrigation System (RI 2.0), which focuses on integrated, technologically advanced, and sustainable water management strategies.
The Minister presented key insights into Egypt’s water situation, noting that while annual demand exceeds 114 billion m³, available resources are just over 60 billion m³, including about 21 billion m³ of reused water. The per capita water share has dropped to around 500 m³/year, reinforcing the urgency for action.
The RI 2.0 strategy is built on nine main pillars, including:
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Reuse and desalination of water for intensive food production,
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Digital transformation and smart water management tools,
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Climate adaptation, including flood protection infrastructure,
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Ecosystem restoration and modernization of hydraulic structures,
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Public awareness and stakeholder engagement through water user associations,
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Human resource development, addressing technical and engineering capacity gaps.
Dr. Sweilem highlighted flagship projects such as large-scale wastewater reuse systems, integrated aquaculture-agriculture using saline water, the use of satellite monitoring, and mobile applications for farmers. He also stressed the importance of leveraging solar energy for water pumping and reducing carbon emissions.
The conference, hosted in collaboration with partners such as the UNESCO Chair for Sustainability at UPC, Future University in Egypt, PDS Egypt, and INRA Morocco, is a milestone event for the SURENEXUS project. It showcases successful policy, technological, and research approaches in achieving sustainable WEFE Nexus governance in the Mediterranean region.
