Egypt’s Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation Hani Swailem attended on Tuesday the signing of a co-operation protocol between the Islamic Network for Water Resources Development and Management (INWRDAM), affiliated with the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), and the Dutch side to launch a rainwater harvesting project in Wadi Feiran, South Sinai, involving the construction of 50 mountain lakes.
The signing ceremony took place during a session organised by INWRDAM as part of Cairo Water Week, attended by the network’s Executive Director, Marwan al-Raggad, and a representative of the Netherlands Embassy in Cairo.
The session reviewed the project’s components, with implementation scheduled to begin soon, as well as the positive results of a similar project carried out in Jordan under the network’s supervision.
Minister Swailem stressed the importance of the planned project in South Sinai as a climate change adaptation initiative and a practical application of the Water-Energy-Food-Ecosystems (WEFE) Nexus principles.
The project aims to mitigate the risks of flash floods, provide fresh water for Bedouin communities in Sinai, and protect residents and infrastructure from the dangers posed by such floods.
Swailem also reaffirmed his ministry’s commitment to strengthening co-operation with the OIC, expressing his hope for further effective partnerships in the water sector and the implementation of projects aimed at improving the efficiency of water resource use.
