Minister of Environment Yasmine Fouad, and Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation Hani Sewilam discussed the current arrangements for holding water events within the upcoming COP27 climate conference, as well as developing Egypt’s lakes.
The two ministers emphasised the importance of putting water on the agenda of climate action during the activities of the Fifth Cairo Water Week and the water activities held within the programme of the presidency of the climate conference, according to a joint statement on Saturday.
The two ministers also stressed the important water-food nexus, as water represents a key element in agriculture and achieving food security, and the need to work on placing the water, agriculture, and food sectors within the climate change file, especially since global crises and problems of international supply chains have clarified the need for integration between the water and agriculture sectors to provide food.
Moreover, Fouad touched on the importance of providing the necessary funding for climate issues with regard to water issues. She also explained that a special day for agriculture, adaptation, and food security will be organised within the unofficial days of the climate conference related to Water Day.
She further noted that coordination between the two ministries has been completed in a number of projects, including some focused on developing natural lakes nationwide. She then presented the development work that has been done on Lake Qarun and its revitalisation, in addition to continuous coordination with regard to the reports of the concerned committee, sewage stations, and their compliance with environmental standards.
For his part, Sewilam stated that a water day will be organised within the climate conference in cooperation with a number of partners and a water pavilion will be organised, in addition to a number of international initiatives being prepared to adapt to climate changes in the water sector, which will be launched during the conference’s activities.
He added that the Fifth Cairo Water Week will be held under the title ‘Water at the Heart of Climate Action’ as a preparatory event for the upcoming climate conference, where the recommendations issued by it will be submitted for discussion in the water pavilion held within the UN Conference of Parties on Climate Change (COP27) that will be held in Sharm El-Sheikh this November.
