Egyptian Presidential Directives to 'Make Use of Every Drop of Water'

A general view shows the River Nile with houses and farmland in Cairo, Egypt (Reuters)
A general view shows the River Nile with houses and farmland in Cairo, Egypt (Reuters)
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Egyptian Presidential Directives to 'Make Use of Every Drop of Water'

A general view shows the River Nile with houses and farmland in Cairo, Egypt (Reuters)
A general view shows the River Nile with houses and farmland in Cairo, Egypt (Reuters)

The Egyptian government aims to implement presidential directives to "make use of every drop of water," as the country suffers from a scarcity of freshwater resources, in addition to its dispute with Ethiopia over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD).

Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly said that the expansion of the sewage treatment plant in the Abu Rawash area in Giza governorate is part of President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi's directives to use “every single drop of water.”

Madbouly explained that the water could be used after treating it according to the Egyptian and the international code.

The Abu Rawash plant is the largest sewage project in the region, and the second largest in Egypt after the al-Gabal al-Asfar plant, with a production capacity of 1.6 million cubic meters per day, Madbouly indicated.

The project's first phase, which represents half of the plant's capacity, will begin in late November. It is scheduled to be fully operational in March 2022 to serve nine million people at the cost of EGP6.2 billion.

"The new project is carrying out primary treatment of 1.2 million cubic meters with an upgraded triple treatment, in addition to 400 thousand cubic meters of advanced dual treatment, and thus the treatment volume will reach 1.6 million cubic meters per day,” Madbouly said.

The PM pointed out that this giant project is financed by the Egyptian state and some foreign efforts.

He indicated that water treatment is an urgent requirement for Giza and the West Delta region.

Egypt suffers from a scarcity of freshwater resources. According to official statements, it has officially entered the "water poverty" era, in which the per capita share is less than 1,000 cubic meters annually. It relies on the Nile River for more than 90 percent of its water.

Meanwhile, the Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation, Mohamed Abdel-Aty, affirmed that work would continue to ensure the efficiency of all drainage departments in the country.

He asserted that authorities would monitor and follow up to guarantee the purification of riverbanks and the readiness of the sectors to confront any emergency.

Abdel-Aty directed the concerned departments to continue identifying and removing the infringements on all banks, noting that any violation will be reported to authorities for legal action.



Lebanon Ready for Syria Pact to Repatriate Non-Terror Convicts

Lebanon’s Justice Minister Adel Nassar (NNA)
Lebanon’s Justice Minister Adel Nassar (NNA)
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Lebanon Ready for Syria Pact to Repatriate Non-Terror Convicts

Lebanon’s Justice Minister Adel Nassar (NNA)
Lebanon’s Justice Minister Adel Nassar (NNA)

Lebanon’s Justice Minister Adel Nassar said Beirut had received no warnings from Damascus about potential retaliatory measures to push for the release of Syrian detainees held in Lebanese prisons, dismissing any talk of escalation as unnecessary.

“There’s no need for escalation. We’re fully open to resolving this issue through direct dialogue and a formal treaty with the Syrian authorities, one that allows the transfer of Syrian convicts, except those sentenced for killing Lebanese soldiers or for terrorism charges,” Nassar told Asharq Al-Awsat.

Nassar revealed that his ministry had already prepared a draft agreement aimed at moving the stalled file forward, stressing that resolving the issue is in Lebanon’s interest as much as Syria’s.

“This would ease the severe overcrowding in our prisons,” he said. “We’re determined to take every step in full compliance with Lebanese law and judicial procedures.”

According to Nassar, some 1,700 Syrians are currently detained in Lebanon, including 389 with final verdicts. The rest are still on trial.

“Their treatment is identical to that of Lebanese inmates,” he added. “We’re holding court sessions directly at Roumieh prison to address logistical constraints, and there’s also an intention to do the same for the military court.”

Addressing the recent Cabinet appointment of Maher Shaito as financial public prosecutor, a move widely seen as a win for the minister after rejecting a nominee backed by the Hezbollah-Amal alliance, Nassar insisted the process was purely institutional.

“This was a victory for state institutions. I can’t nominate someone I don’t believe is qualified,” he said. “After consulting senior judges and the head of the Higher Judicial Council, it was clear there was consensus around Shaito due to his credentials and track record.”

He stressed that the appointment involved “no deals or political bartering,” adding that while he found Judge Ziad Hamadeh unsuitable for that specific post, “I never said he was unfit for another position.”

Nassar described his meeting Saturday with Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri as “positive,” saying Berri expressed support for the minister’s efforts under the principle of judicial independence.

On long-awaited judicial appointments, Nassar said the Judicial Council was working “around the clock” and had promised to complete the file by the end of the month. “Some 600 names are currently under consideration,” he noted.

As Lebanon approaches the fifth anniversary of the 2020 Beirut port explosion, Nassar said he would not interfere with the timeline of investigative judge Tarek Bitar, who is handling the politically sensitive case.

“Judge Bitar is continuing his probe, and I’m offering full cooperation within the limits of my authority, especially when it comes to securing information from abroad,” he said. “We won’t allow any obstruction of his work.”

Nassar said the timing of the indictment “depends on whether he receives the answers to all his questions,” adding: “There’s no legal deadline obliging him to issue a ruling by a specific date.”

Responding to reports that he and other ministers had objected to certain appointments during the last Cabinet session, Nassar confirmed his opposition to the newly named Banking Control Commission, saying ministers had not been briefed beforehand.

He also voiced strong objection to linking the disarmament of Hezbollah to any other file.

“I told Cabinet and President Joseph Aoun that the issue of arms must not be conditional. I believe in the exclusive right of the state to bear arms - there can be no functioning state otherwise,” he said.

Nassar added that Aoun had promised to refer any final document related to the ongoing US-mediated talks on the weapons issue back to the Cabinet for discussion.