Egypt has established a $100 million financing mechanism dedicated to studying and implementing development projects, including dams, across southern Nile Basin countries, according to the Foreign and Irrigation Ministries (Daily News Egypt). The initiative is part of broader efforts by Cairo to expand water and development cooperation throughout the region.
Egypt Launches $100M Fund for Water and Dam Projects in Nile Basin
Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty and Water Resources and Irrigation Minister Hani Sewilam reviewed the initiative during a bilateral meeting focused on regional relations and coordination on international water issues. The financing mechanism starts with an initial allocation of $100 million and will support projects based on the specific priorities of participating nations.
Existing Regional Projects and Bilateral Cooperation
During discussions with a visiting Ugandan delegation led by Permanent Secretary David Kasura following the 14th joint steering committee meeting, Minister Sewilam highlighted the newly launched regional funding mechanism. Egyptian and Ugandan officials have been actively preparing the next phase of a joint project addressing aquatic weeds in the Great Lakes.
The ongoing cooperation includes the sixth phase of a weed management project signed on November 1, 2023, which targets aquatic weeds across Lakes Victoria, Albert, and Kyoga. Projects implemented under this partnership involve:
- Clearing navigation channels and developing a fish landing site in the Kamunga area on Lake Victoria.
- Establishing a modern fish market and river marina to facilitate safe shore access for fishing boats, goods, and passenger transport.
- Transforming harvested aquatic weeds into biogas for cooking and lighting, alongside organic fertilizers.
- Training technical cadres at the Ugandan Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries.
Broader Basin Initiatives and Legal Stances
Egyptian officials note that past and ongoing projects across the basin span a wide range of infrastructure and technical assistance, including solar-powered groundwater wells and stations, river docks, water-storage facilities, rainfall forecasting centres, and water-quality laboratories. Additional programs focus on flood protection, aquatic weed control, and capacity-building training.
Cairo maintains that its regional cooperation aims to deliver tangible development benefits aligned with the African Union’s Agenda 2063 and Africa Water Vision 2063. At the same time, Egyptian officials reiterated their rejection of unilateral measures in the eastern Nile Basin that they view as violations of international law. They stressed that transboundary Nile waters should be managed through prior notification, consultation, and consensus, while asserting that protecting Egypt’s water security does not conflict with the development aspirations of other basin countries.
Upcoming International Water and Environmental Conferences
Looking toward upcoming international forums, the Egyptian government is preparing for the 2026 UN Water Conference, where Egypt and Japan will co-chair the third interactive dialogue, titled Water for the Planet.
Officials are working on initiatives designed to transition policy discussions into concrete implementation.
Furthermore, preparations are underway for Egypt to host the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) COP18 in 2028. Plans for the event center on linking efforts to combat drought and desertification more closely with regional water and food security, particularly focusing on African nations.
