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Egypt to Expand Water Desalination Projects Amid Ongoing Dispute Over Renaissance Dam

In this Monday, April 17, 2017 file photo, holiday makers enjoy Nile cruises in Cairo, Egypt. (AP)
In this Monday, April 17, 2017 file photo, holiday makers enjoy Nile cruises in Cairo, Egypt. (AP)
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Egypt to Expand Water Desalination Projects Amid Ongoing Dispute Over Renaissance Dam

In this Monday, April 17, 2017 file photo, holiday makers enjoy Nile cruises in Cairo, Egypt. (AP)
In this Monday, April 17, 2017 file photo, holiday makers enjoy Nile cruises in Cairo, Egypt. (AP)

The Egyptian government plans to expand its seawater desalination plants in the coastal areas and governorates overlooking the Red and Mediterranean Seas, the Gulfs of Suez and Aqaba, Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly announced Monday.

The government’s efforts come in light of a national plan to address limited water resources, a population increase and the ongoing dispute over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam on the Nile River.

During a ministerial meeting, Madbouly requested the establishment of new desalination plants in the country.

The PM said the meeting aimed at reviewing strenuous efforts exerted by the state to expand the construction of new desalination plants and benefit from advanced experience in this regard in order to provide fresh water, particularly in coastal governorates as per President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi's directives.

The African nation suffers from water shortages, as it needs 114 billion cubic meters annually, while it only has 74 billion meters available.

Cairo fears the potential negative impact of the GERD on the flow of its annual share of the Nile’s 55.5 billion cubic meters of water.

To confront these challenges, Egypt set a plan to develop the irrigation system, replace and rehabilitate drainage and irrigation stations and spread awareness among citizens to conserve water.

Electricity and Renewable Energy Minister Mohamed Shaker said his ministry received several bids by major companies to establish seawater desalination plants that are expected to work with solar and green renewable energy.

Minister of Housing, Utilities and Urban Communities Assem el-Gazar, who attended the cabinet meeting on Monday, said the strategic plan to build desalination plants is meant to secure and provide fresh water to meet the growing needs of the surging population and the national comprehensive development plan.

The housing ministry’s strategic plan to build seawater desalination plants is based on six five-year plans until 2050, with the aim of providing enough drinking water to meet natural population growth.

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Iranian Militias Barred from Entering 'Seven Villages' Area in Syria's Deir Ezzor

Russian officers with the people of Deir Ezzor for the distribution of aid (X)
Russian officers with the people of Deir Ezzor for the distribution of aid (X)
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Iranian Militias Barred from Entering 'Seven Villages' Area in Syria's Deir Ezzor

Russian officers with the people of Deir Ezzor for the distribution of aid (X)
Russian officers with the people of Deir Ezzor for the distribution of aid (X)

Russian forces in Syria are working to prevent the situation from escalating, which could draw Syria into the ongoing conflict in Palestine and Lebanon. According to Russian National Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu, who recently toured the region, “the situation in the Middle East remains highly complex and tense, and it is essential to continue reintegrating Syria into the regional environment.”
As part of these efforts, Russian forces have set up a military checkpoint on the bridge connecting the so-called “seven villages” with areas west of the Euphrates, allowing the access of Syrian government and Russian forces, while barring Iranian militias and other armed groups from entering.
In 2022, Iran built this bridge to link areas it controls west of the Euphrates with the seven villages its allied militias control east of the river. The bridge, connecting Al-Husayniyah (east of the Euphrates) and Al-Huwayqa (west of the Euphrates), facilitates the transfer of weapons and military supplies across both sides of the river for these militias.
According to sources from the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), this Russian measure follows repeated clashes between the US-led International Coalition and Iranian-backed militias affiliated with the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in the area.
The seven villages in the Deir Ezzor countryside—Al-Salihiyah, Hatlah, Khasham, Marat, Tabiyah, Mazlum, and Al-Husayniyah—are under Syrian government control and include local elements connected to Iranian militias. The bridge serves as a strategic link between the city and these villages. Russia’s move aims to assert military control over these villages by restricting entry and exit solely to Russian and government forces, in an effort to de-escalate military tensions in the area.
On Wednesday, two members of local Iranian-aligned militias died from injuries sustained a few days earlier in a US strike near Deir Ezzor Military Airport on Oct. 31, which also injured several others.
In recent days, US forces have conducted daily heavy artillery shelling in the seven villages and areas west of the Euphrates, citing the presence of Iran-backed fighters who are targeting nearby US bases.
Russia had previously requested that the IRGC withdraw Iran-affiliated militias from locations near Deir Ezzor Military Airport and other sites in the city. This request was made during a meeting on Oct. 18 between a Russian military representative in Syria and an IRGC representative in Deir Ezzor, held at a government security facility, according to local media sources.
Russian media indicate that Shoigu’s recent actions have focused on preventing the situation from escalating into a major confrontation, which could significantly harm Russian interests in the region.
Deir Ezzor province and its surroundings have been experiencing increased security instability, which has worsened as Iran and its militias shift their focus toward the conflict in Lebanon and the Israeli attacks on Hezbollah and Iranian forces.