Egypt Launches Development Projects to Support Nile Basin Countries

A general view of buildings by the Nile River in Cairo, Egypt July 2, 2019. Reuters
A general view of buildings by the Nile River in Cairo, Egypt July 2, 2019. Reuters
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Egypt Launches Development Projects to Support Nile Basin Countries

A general view of buildings by the Nile River in Cairo, Egypt July 2, 2019. Reuters
A general view of buildings by the Nile River in Cairo, Egypt July 2, 2019. Reuters

Egypt continues to launch a number of projects to support the Nile Basin countries and bolster ties.

The Egypt-based Arab Organization for Industrialization (AOI) has recently established a solar power plant in Tororo district in Uganda.

The project comes in line with President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi’s directives to enhance joint cooperation with the Nile Basin countries and all African countries in various fields of industrialization, AOI Chairman Lieutenant-General Abdel Moneim al-Terras stated on Thursday.

The organization is keen to employ all its manufacturing and technological capacities to participate in the various development projects taking place in Uganda and all the African countries.

The AOI supports renewable energy projects through the Egyptian Initiative for Development in the Nile Basin Countries, Terras noted.

He explained that the plant established operates on a photovoltaic system with a capacity of 4 megawatts, pointing to the organization’s keenness to exchange expertise and train technical workers in Uganda.

The solar panels installed at the plant are produced by the Arab Renewable Energy Company (ARECO), a subsidiary of the AOI. They are efficient and were manufactured in line with international quality standards, Terras said.

The AOI is currently implementing many renewable energy projects in several African countries to achieve the maximum benefit of solar energy as a clean source of electricity generation.

Egypt has implemented many projects with the Nile Basin countries over the past years in the fields of water and electrical grids, including dams for rainwater harvesting and underground drinking water stations to provide pure drinking water in remote areas, fish farms and river anchors, as well as projects in the field of disinfecting waterways.

The projects include building seven rainwater harvesting dams in Uganda, drilling 180 underground wells in Kenya and installing a lifting unit to transport river water to communities near waterways in Wau city, south of Sudan.



Israel Vows to Prevent an Aid Boat Carrying Greta Thunberg, Activists from Reaching Gaza

Climate activist Greta Thunberg stands near a Palestinian flag after boarding the Madleen boat and before setting sail for Gaza along with activists of the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, departing from the Sicilian port of Catania, Italy, Sunday, June 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Salvatore Cavalli)
Climate activist Greta Thunberg stands near a Palestinian flag after boarding the Madleen boat and before setting sail for Gaza along with activists of the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, departing from the Sicilian port of Catania, Italy, Sunday, June 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Salvatore Cavalli)
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Israel Vows to Prevent an Aid Boat Carrying Greta Thunberg, Activists from Reaching Gaza

Climate activist Greta Thunberg stands near a Palestinian flag after boarding the Madleen boat and before setting sail for Gaza along with activists of the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, departing from the Sicilian port of Catania, Italy, Sunday, June 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Salvatore Cavalli)
Climate activist Greta Thunberg stands near a Palestinian flag after boarding the Madleen boat and before setting sail for Gaza along with activists of the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, departing from the Sicilian port of Catania, Italy, Sunday, June 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Salvatore Cavalli)

Israel’s defense minister has vowed to prevent an aid boat carrying Greta Thunberg and other activists from reaching the Gaza Strip.

Defense Minister Israel Katz said Sunday that Israel wouldn't allow anyone to break its naval blockade of the Palestinian territory, which he said was aimed at preventing Hamas from importing arms.

Thunberg, a climate campaigner is among 12 activists aboard the Madleen, which is operated by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition. The vessel departed Sicily last Sunday on a mission that aims to break the sea blockade of Gaza and deliver humanitarian aid, while raising awareness over the growing humanitarian crisis in the Palestinian enclave, The AP news reported.

The activists had said they planned to reach Gaza’s territorial waters as early as Sunday.

Rima Hassan, a French member of the European Parliament who is of Palestinian descent, is among the others onboard. She has been barred from entering Israel because of her opposition to Israeli policies toward the Palestinians.

After a three-month total blockade aimed at pressuring Hamas, Israel started allowing some basic aid into Gaza last month, but humanitarian workers have warned of famine unless the blockade and the war end.

An attempt last month by Freedom Flotilla to reach Gaza by sea failed after another of the group’s vessels was attacked by two drones while sailing in international waters off Malta. The group blamed Israel for the attack, which damaged the front section of the ship.