Egypt, World Bank discuss cooperation on water projects

Egypt’s Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation Mohamed Abdel Aaty met with a World Bank delegation, on Saturday, to discuss cooperation on new water projects.

The online meeting came as part of the World Bank delegation’s follow-up on developments in Egypt’s infrastructure sector, undertaken by the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation. These took place in preparation for the anticipated completion of Egypt’s economic cooperation programmes.

During the meeting, Abdel Aaty undertook a review of: the state’s strategy for managing water resources until 2050; the axes of the national plan for water resources 2037; and the most important projects that the ministry is currently implementing.

The minister briefed the delegation on progress in many projects including: the national project for the rehabilitation of canals; the project to convert from flood irrigation systems to modern irrigation systems; climate change adaptation programmes and protection from sea level rises; as well as rain harvest projects.

Abdel Aaty also reviewed state measures to encourage farmers to modernise the irrigation system on their lands. This has seen the provision of loans and the necessary materials for the implementation of modern irrigation networks. Farmers will repay the loans within two years.

Moreover, he said that Egypt has taken serious steps towards improving the management of infrastructure, in order to enhance the participation of the private sector.

The Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation has taken a number of measures, the most important of which is the completion of preparations for the new water resources law which is currently being presented to the House of Representatives.

The law’s articles include many measures that will raise the efficiency of water use, grant water user associations a greater role in managing and distributing water on branch canals, participate in maintenance work, and enhance private sector participation in water projects.

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