Egyptian Irrigation and Water Resources Minister Mohamed Abdel Aati discussed on Wednesday with senior water resources, irrigation and drainage specialists at the World Bank Group Wilfried Hundertmark, Rajesh Balasubramanian, Heba Yaken and Safwat Abdel Dayam the outcome of a visit by the WB’s mission to Egypt on March 9 to 14.
The two sides also discussed means of stepping up funding to expediate the implementation rates of the strategic plan to rationalise water consumption.
Abdel Aati said Egypt is one of the world’s most water-stressed countries, underlining the Egyptian State’s tremendous efforts to face water challenges through speeding up the comprehensive development and modernization of the water system and carrying out projects to rehabilitate canals.
He also underlined the State’s efforts to expand the implementation of water reuse and desalination projects, stressing the importance of these projects in achieving sustainable development and serving farmers.
He underlined the great role played by the Irrigation Ministry in raising awareness about the benefits of applying the modern irrigation system.
These efforts culminated in converting 1.2 million feddans from immersion irrigation to modern systems by the farmers themselves, the minister.
