Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation Hani Swailem reviewed on Sunday preparations for Egypt’s participation in the 2026 United Nations Water Conference, slated for December 2026, in Abu Dhabi.
The minister also discussed the proposed initiatives and Egypt’s role in the conference’s interactive dialogues.
Swailem stressed the importance of building on the outcomes of the six interactive dialogues and strengthening international co‑ordination to ensure the conference delivers practical results that support the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 6 on water and sanitation.
The minister highlighted the joint Egyptian‑Japanese efforts under the co‑chairmanship of the third interactive dialogue, titled “Water for the Planet”, noting that collaboration with Japan and international partners has helped move from exchanging ideas to developing practical, partnership‑based initiatives aimed at implementation.
Swailem emphasised that proposed initiatives should go beyond declarations and commitments to become practical tools for accelerating implementation through stronger partnerships, technical expertise, knowledge sharing, capacity building and sustainable financing.
He also called for intensified co‑ordination with the host country and co‑chairs of the other interactive dialogues to ensure complementarity among initiatives and maximise their impact within the conference’s final outcomes.
The minister noted that the 2026 UN Water Conference should be viewed as part of a broader and continuous international process rather than a standalone event, stressing the importance of monitoring implementation, achieving measurable results and building on accumulated experience ahead of future global water conferences, including the 2028 UN Water Conference.
