Egyptian Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation, Hani Sewilam, said Egypt is continuing its efforts to secure access to safe water for all citizens as a basic human right, during a meeting with Pedro Arrojo Agudo, the UN Special Rapporteur on the human rights to safe drinking water and sanitation. Sewilam said Egypt is facing growing water scarcity, with per capita water availability at around 500 cubic metres per year—less than half the United Nations’ water scarcity threshold. He noted that approximately 98% of Egypt’s water resources originate from the Nile River. The minister said Egypt is implementing projects under its “Second-Generation Water System 2.0” strategy, including the expansion of agricultural wastewater treatment through major plants such as New Delta, Bahr El-Baqar, and El-Mahssama. He emphasised that cooperative, consensus-based approaches among Nile Basin countries remain the only viable path to safeguarding shared water resources and achieving mutual benefits.

Source: Daily News Egypt February 10, 2026 17:53 UTC