Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation Hani Swailem met on Sunday with British Minister of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Emma Hardy to discuss strengthening bilateral co-operation in water security, climate change adaptation and sustainable development.
The meeting was held on the sidelines of the 9th Cairo Water Week.
During the meeting, Minister Swailem stressed the importance of the Egyptian-British partnership in addressing shared climate challenges.
He also highlighted recent consultations on the Green Growth partnership, linking co-ordination on water and climate issues, and preparations for the 2026 United Nations Water Conference.
Following the signing of the Egyptian-British Green Growth Agreement, the minister emphasised the need to develop a joint action plan comprising practical projects and programmes, proposing designated focal points to coordinate implementation.
He highlighted opportunities to exchange expertise in sustainable water management, energy efficiency, green investment and climate-resilient water infrastructure.
Discussions covered water treatment and reuse, desalination for large-scale food production, smart water management, modern irrigation, hydrological monitoring, early warning systems, nature-based solutions, infrastructure and pumping stations, capacity-building and scientific research, drawing on British expertise.
The two sides also explored trilateral co-operation between Egypt, the UK and Nile Basin countries, combining Egyptian experience in African water projects with British expertise and financing.
Swailem outlined Egypt’s regional pooled financing mechanism, launched with initial capital of US$100 million to fund development projects in Nile Basin countries.
He also highlighted the Pan-African Centre for Water and Climate Adaptation (PACWA), which trains African professionals, and the African Water Facility, which supports the preparation of bankable, implementable projects.
The minister underscored the importance of establishing a joint technical team to identify priority projects and strengthen coordination on water and climate issues ahead of the 2026 United Nations Water Conference.
