Egypt is seeking sustainable solutions for its water management in light of the stalemate in the negotiations over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD).
Minister of Irrigation, Mohamed Abdel-Aty confirmed that the 4th Cairo Water Week (CWW) will be held as the state prioritizes water, placing it at the top of its political agenda.
The conference is a culmination of Egypt's leading regional role in the Arab and African region, as it aims to reach sustainable solutions for managing water resources amid the global population growth and climate change, he remarked.
Ministers, official delegations, senior officials in the water sector, scientists, international organizations and institutes, civil society organizations, and international panelists are set to attend the conference, he continued.
The minister held a meeting to follow up on the preparation to organize the conference, which is scheduled next October and will be held under the auspices of President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and the theme "Water, Population, and Global Changes: Challenges and Opportunities."
A cabinet statement on Friday said a high-level session on the UN Conference for the Midterm Review of the Water Action Decade 2023 will be held during CWW. Several heads of governments, ministers, and senior representatives of organizations will take part in the event.
The CWW will also include many events, such as meeting the Arab Ministers of Irrigation and Agriculture and Arab senior officials.
Egypt suffers from water scarcity and it fears that the GERD will reduce its share of the Nile water.
Meanwhile, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister and Special Presidential Representative on the Middle East Mikhail Bogdanov said he hopes all GERD parties will reach acceptable solutions through direct negotiations.
Bogdanov discussed the GERD dispute during a telephone call with Ethiopian Foreign Minister Demeke Mekonnen.
Russia has previously confirmed that it takes an equal position on the differences between Ethiopia, Egypt and Sudan and calls on all parties to resolve the dispute.
Russia hopes for an acceptable agreement between the three countries.
The GERD, which has been under construction since 2011, is raising fears of water shortages and safety in Egypt and Sudan. The two countries are demanding the conclusion of a legally binding agreement with Ethiopia that regulates the rules for filling and operating the dam.
Cairo and Khartoum also want Addis Ababa to refrain from taking any "unilateral measures" that could harm their water shares.
