Egypt’s Foreign Minister Badr Abdel-Aati stressed the importance of strengthening Egyptian-Japanese co-operation in the fields of water security, sustainable development, green energy and local governance during a series of meetings held in Tokyo on Wednesday.
During his meeting with Yoko Kamikawa, Special Envoy of the Japanese Prime Minister for the 2026 United Nations Water Conference, Abdel-Aati reaffirmed Egypt’s commitment to maintaining close co-ordination with Japan within the framework of the joint presidency of the conference’s third interactive dialogue, co-chaired by Kamikawa and Egypt’s Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation, Hani Sewilam.
The foreign minister praised the successful co-operation between Egypt and Japan during the 2023 United Nations Water Conference and expressed Egypt’s aspiration to build on that momentum in order to achieve practical and tangible outcomes at the 2026 conference that would help advance the international water agenda.
Abdel-Aati also reviewed water scarcity challenges facing Egypt, highlighting the government’s efforts to address them through the National Water Resources Management Strategy, which adopts a comprehensive and innovative approach aimed at rationalising water consumption, expanding water treatment and reuse projects, and modernising irrigation systems.
He further underscored the importance of co-operation and integration in managing transboundary rivers, including the Nile River, in accordance with international law and principles that safeguard the interests of downstream countries and prevent unilateral measures that could cause harm.
In a separate meeting, the Egyptian top diplomat met with Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike as part of efforts to boost Egyptian-Japanese relations and expand bilateral co-operation across various sectors.
The minister praised the growing momentum in co-operation with the Tokyo Metropolitan Government in a number of areas of mutual interest, including the training and qualification of Egyptian workers for employment opportunities in Japan, as well as co-operation in basic and higher education.
He also highlighted the outcomes achieved during the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD), including the signing of several memoranda of understanding in the fields of renewable energy and green hydrogen.
Abdel-Aati expressed Egypt’s aspiration for the swift activation of these agreements and for building upon them to elevate bilateral co-operation to broader horizons, particularly in the green hydrogen sector.
He further affirmed Egypt’s interest in benefiting from Japanese expertise in local administration, sustainable governance, waste management and recycling, crisis management and disaster response, as well as Tokyo’s successful experience in attracting international tourism and developing tourist destinations.
