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Egypt Supports Introducing Regional Early Warning Systems for Water, Climate

Egypt’s Irrigation Minister Mohamed Abdel Aty speaks at Sunday's event. (Egypt’s Irrigation Ministry)
Egypt’s Irrigation Minister Mohamed Abdel Aty speaks at Sunday's event. (Egypt’s Irrigation Ministry)
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Egypt Supports Introducing Regional Early Warning Systems for Water, Climate

Egypt’s Irrigation Minister Mohamed Abdel Aty speaks at Sunday's event. (Egypt’s Irrigation Ministry)
Egypt’s Irrigation Minister Mohamed Abdel Aty speaks at Sunday's event. (Egypt’s Irrigation Ministry)

Egypt expressed its backing for the adoption of a plan to develop and apply a regional early warning systems over water and climate.

The step aims at increasing the readiness of all regional countries to address “extreme phenomena,” such as torrential rains and droughts, and protect citizens from the impact of climate change.

Egypt’s Irrigation Minister Mohamed Abdel Aty participated virtually at a meeting of the Global Alliances for Water and Climate (GAfWaC) held on Sunday as part of the Dushanbe Water Conference hosted by Tajikistan.

He said Cairo attaches great importance to GAfWaC and works on rallying international support for the coalition at all international conferences given Egypt's scarcity of water resources.

The Alliance is one of the international initiatives that aim to achieve integration between water and climate agendas.

Its members include presidents Tajikistan and Hungary. It is also led by various relevant UN organizations, including the World Meteorological Organization, which is one of its major founders.

Abdel Aty stressed that climate change is one of the most pressing issues the world is facing, given its growing impact on water resources and food production across the world.

He called for intensifying national efforts to adapt to climate changes and providing the necessary funding to implement projects to that end, as well as taking the necessary measures to reduce emissions.

Egypt has implemented many projects in this field, including flood protection projects, which aim to protect citizens and buildings from the destructive effects of torrential rains, and beach protection projects, which aim to adapt to rising sea levels.

The minister underscored the importance of the participation of GAfWaC’s members in the COP27 Climate Summit, which will be held in Egypt's Sharm El-Sheikh in November.

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Arab World

Syrians Rejoice during First Eid after Assad's Fall

Hundreds of Syrian Muslims perform Eid al-Fitr prayers at the Grand Mosque in Maarat al-Numan in Idlib, Syria, 31 March 2025. EPA/BILAL AL HAMMOUD
Hundreds of Syrian Muslims perform Eid al-Fitr prayers at the Grand Mosque in Maarat al-Numan in Idlib, Syria, 31 March 2025. EPA/BILAL AL HAMMOUD
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Syrians Rejoice during First Eid after Assad's Fall

Hundreds of Syrian Muslims perform Eid al-Fitr prayers at the Grand Mosque in Maarat al-Numan in Idlib, Syria, 31 March 2025. EPA/BILAL AL HAMMOUD
Hundreds of Syrian Muslims perform Eid al-Fitr prayers at the Grand Mosque in Maarat al-Numan in Idlib, Syria, 31 March 2025. EPA/BILAL AL HAMMOUD

Eid al-Fitr in Syria was charged with newfound joy this year, as thousands freely celebrated the holiday for the first time after the fall of Bashar al-Assad.

From the early morning hours, crowds of men, women and children flocked to pray at Damascus's historic Umayyad Mosque in the Old City.

"This is the first time we truly feel the joy of Eid, after getting rid of Assad's tyrannical regime," Fatima Othman told AFP.

Following prayer, worshippers exchanged Eid greetings while street vendors sold colorful balloons and toys to children posing for photos with their parents.

"Our celebration is doubled after Assad's fall," said Ghassan Youssef, a resident of the capital.

A few kilometers (miles) away, on the slopes of Mount Qasyun overlooking Damascus -- a site previously off-limits to Syrians until Assad was deposed on December 8 -- a few thousand people gathered at Unknown Soldier Square for an open-air prayer.

Among them were members of the security forces and the army, dressed in uniform and armed. The road leading to the square was packed, according to an AFP photographer.

Some worshippers distributed sweets to celebrate, while the three-star Syrian flag, adopted by the new authorities, waved in the air.

Under the previous government, access to the Unknown Soldier monument was typically restricted to Assad and his close associates, who would lay wreaths there during national ceremonies.

'Celebration of celebrations!'
The memorial, where a giant screen broadcast the Eid prayer, is near the presidential palace.

There, interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa prayed alongside Syria's new mufti Osama al-Rifai and several cabinet ministers in the presence of a large crowd.

He later delivered a speech emphasizing the country faced "a long and arduous road to reconstruction but possesses all the resources needed to recover".

This came two days after the formation of a new government, which faces daunting challenges in a country devastated by 14 years of civil war.

Wael Hamamiya, who had been in Sweden since the early days of the conflict, returned to Damascus to celebrate Eid with his family.

"This is my first Eid here in nearly 15 years. I truly feel the celebration in its full meaning," he told AFP, beaming.

"Everyone who has come is over the moon. This is the celebration of celebrations!"

The occasion was more somber for some Syrians, who were able to visit the graves of loved ones that had been off-limits during Assad reign, especially in former opposition strongholds.

At al-Rawda Cafe in Damascus, 36-year-old Amer Hallaq chatted with friends after returning from exile in Berlin where he ended up after dodging compulsory military service in 2014.

"For years, I thought I'd never see my family again or celebrate Eid with them," Hallaq said.

"The joy of liberation and victory is immense, but there's still a lot of work ahead. This is only the beginning of the road."