Egypt Seeks Greater Int’l Coordination to Overcome Water Challenges

Egyptian Minister of Irrigation and Water Resources Mohamed Abdel Aty with Saudi Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture Abdulrahman al-Fadhli (Egyptian Ministry of Irrigation and Water Resources)
Egyptian Minister of Irrigation and Water Resources Mohamed Abdel Aty with Saudi Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture Abdulrahman al-Fadhli (Egyptian Ministry of Irrigation and Water Resources)
TT
20

Egypt Seeks Greater Int’l Coordination to Overcome Water Challenges

Egyptian Minister of Irrigation and Water Resources Mohamed Abdel Aty with Saudi Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture Abdulrahman al-Fadhli (Egyptian Ministry of Irrigation and Water Resources)
Egyptian Minister of Irrigation and Water Resources Mohamed Abdel Aty with Saudi Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture Abdulrahman al-Fadhli (Egyptian Ministry of Irrigation and Water Resources)

Egypt has called on all countries to cooperate on water challenges to achieve the sustainable development plan.

Egypt suffers from a scarcity of water resources and needs about 114 billion cubic meters annually, while the available water resources amount to 74 billion cubic meters.

The Nile water accounts for more than 90 percent of Egypt’s needs or 55.5 billion cubic meters.

It is expecting a shortage in its water share as Ethiopia begins operating the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) on the Nile River.

In the presence of 30 water ministers from countries around the world and 20 regional and international organizations, Egyptian Minister of Irrigation and Water Resources Mohamed Abdel Aty said that all countries, including Egypt, face various challenges to achieve their 2030 sustainable development plans, namely population increase and climate change.

Speaking at the 9th World Water Forum in Dakar, the minister urged more coordination and cooperation among different countries in water to achieve sustainable development.

The meeting seeks to develop a draft action plan on improving drinking water and sanitation services, push for the development of national programs and policies worldwide, and emphasize the need to take several necessary measures to achieve the water goals.

Abdel Aty noted that the Egyptian state outlined a water management plan worth $50 billion to improve water quality and develop existing water resources.

He referred to the important interrelationship between water and food, saying water represents a critical element of agriculture and food security.

On the sidelines of the forum, the Egyptian minister met with Saudi Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture Abdulrahman al-Fadhli, reiterating the importance of boosting cooperation in water, which contributes to achieving sustainable development goals and ensuring the good use of water resources.

Meanwhile, the Egyptian government launched “Every Drop Counts” as part of the national campaign to rationalize water consumption, coinciding with World Water Day.

The Holding Company for Water and Waste Water noted that the initiative includes awareness campaigns in all governorates in coordination with scouting teams and representatives from the Church and ministries of Awqaf and Culture.

Throughout the week, the Ministry of Awqaf, Al-Azhar, and the Church launched religious teachings and radio programs on the importance of rationalizing water consumption.



Gaza Ceasefire Talks Held Up by Israel Withdrawal Plans

Smoke rises to the sky following an Israeli army bombardment in the northern Gaza Strip, as seen from southern Israel, Thursday, July 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)
Smoke rises to the sky following an Israeli army bombardment in the northern Gaza Strip, as seen from southern Israel, Thursday, July 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)
TT
20

Gaza Ceasefire Talks Held Up by Israel Withdrawal Plans

Smoke rises to the sky following an Israeli army bombardment in the northern Gaza Strip, as seen from southern Israel, Thursday, July 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)
Smoke rises to the sky following an Israeli army bombardment in the northern Gaza Strip, as seen from southern Israel, Thursday, July 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)

Indirect talks between Hamas and Israel for a ceasefire in Gaza are being held up by Israel's proposals to keep troops in the territory, two Palestinian sources with knowledge of the discussions told AFP on Saturday.

Delegations from both sides began discussions in Qatar last Sunday to try to agree on a temporary halt to the 21-month conflict sparked by Hamas's deadly attack on Israel on October 7, 2023.

Both Hamas and Israel have said that 10 living hostages who were taken that day and are still in captivity would be released if an agreement for a 60-day ceasefire were reached, reported Reuters.

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Thursday that he hoped to clinch a deal "in a few days", which could then lead to talks for a more permanent end to hostilities.

But one Palestinian source, speaking anonymously due to the sensitivity of the talks, said Israel's refusal to accept Hamas's demand to withdraw all of its troops from Gaza was holding back progress.

Another said mediators had asked both sides to postpone the talks until the arrival of US President Donald Trump's special envoy, Steve Witkoff, in Doha.

"The negotiations in Doha are facing a setback and complex difficulties due to Israel's insistence, as of Friday, on presenting a map of withdrawal, which is actually a map of redeployment and repositioning of the Israeli army rather than a genuine withdrawal," one Palestinian source said.

The source said Israel was proposing to maintain military forces in more than 40 percent of the Palestinian territory, forcing hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians into a small area near the city of Rafah, on the border with Egypt, they added.

"Hamas's delegation will not accept the Israeli maps... as they essentially legitimize the reoccupation of approximately half of the Gaza Strip and turn Gaza into isolated zones with no crossings or freedom of movement," the source said.

A second Palestinian source accused the Israeli delegation of having no authority, and "stalling and obstructing the agreement in order to continue the war of extermination".

- Latest strikes -

The Gaza war began after Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, resulting in the deaths of at least 1,219 people, most of them civilians, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli figures.

Of the 251 hostages seized, 49 are still being held, including 27 the Israeli military says are dead.

At least 57,823 Palestinians, also mostly civilians, have been killed since the start of the war, according to the health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza.

Gaza's civil defense agency said at least 14 Palestinians were killed in the latest wave of Israeli strikes across the territory on Saturday.

More than 30 people were killed on Friday, including 10 people who were waiting for aid handouts, the agency said.

The Israeli military on Saturday said it had attacked "approximately 250 terrorist targets throughout the Gaza Strip" in the last 48 hours.

Targets included "terrorists, booby-trapped structures, weapons storage facilities, anti-tank missile launch posts, sniper posts, tunnels and additional terrorist infrastructure sites", it added.

Two previous ceasefires -- a week-long truce beginning in late November 2023 and a two-month one from mid-January this year -- led to the release of 105 hostages in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners.

The second Palestinian source said "some progress" had been made in the latest talks on plans for releasing Palestinian prisoners held by Israel and getting more aid to Gaza.

Netanyahu, who is under domestic and international pressure to end the war, said this week that neutralizing Hamas as a security threat was a prerequisite for any long-term ceasefire talks.

That included the group giving up weapons, he said, warning that failure to do so would mean Israel would have to do so by force.