EGYPT: an alliance with Japan for water management in the face of climate change

At a time when the sensitivity of water to the effects of climate change is forcing Egypt to use this resource sustainably and rationally, the government of the land of the pharaohs is counting on Japan’s support to strengthen its efforts to help its people adapt to climate change, particularly in the face of water stress caused by drought.

Egypt’s Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation, Hani Sweilam, recently invited the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) to support the international Action on Water, Adaptation, and Resilience (AWARe) initiative in Egypt. Launched by the Egyptian government at the 27th Conference of the Parties on Climate Change (COP 27) in November 2022 in Sharm el-Sheikh, the initiative aims to reduce global water wastage and improve water supply, while supporting the implementation of mutually agreed policies and methods for water-related cooperative adaptation. AWARe also takes into account the importance of protecting freshwater ecosystems and ensuring that economic growth does not have a negative impact on the use of freshwater.