Egyptian Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation, Hani Suwelim, recently participated in an extensive briefing session organized by the General Authority for Information. The session included representatives from regional and international media outlets and foreign correspondents accredited in Cairo. Suwelim presented an overview of Egypt's water situation, highlighting the country's reliance on external water sources. He emphasized that over 98% of Egypt's renewable water resources come from outside its borders.
Suwelim stated that Egypt's renewable water resources amount to approximately 56.8 billion cubic meters annually, while the country's water needs reach about 123 billion cubic meters per year. He noted that Egypt's per capita share of renewable water resources is around 472 cubic meters annually, placing the country under the absolute water scarcity threshold of 500 cubic meters per capita per year. To address these challenges, Egypt is implementing large-scale projects to treat agricultural wastewater and expand water desalination.
The minister highlighted Egypt's efforts to manage its water resources efficiently, including the reuse of about 23.2 billion cubic meters of water annually. He also mentioned the development of national projects to treat agricultural wastewater, which have added a treatment capacity of around 4.8 billion cubic meters per year. Additionally, Egypt is working on expanding its desalination capabilities and utilizing groundwater resources.
Suwelim emphasized that water desalination is a complementary component of Egypt's water management system but will not replace the Nile River's water. He outlined the key components of the second generation of Egypt's water management system, which aims to transition to more intelligent, efficient, and flexible management. This includes expanding water treatment and reuse, implementing automated monitoring and telemetric systems, and improving infrastructure.
The minister stressed that Egyptian citizens should be assured that the government is continuously monitoring the water situation and has developed advanced systems for monitoring, forecasting, and managing different scenarios. He emphasized that ensuring citizens' water security is a top priority. Suwelim also noted that Egypt's ability to manage risks internally does not exempt other countries from their obligations regarding the international river.
Suwelim presented an overview of the water resources in the Nile Basin, stating that the basin receives around 2,000 billion cubic meters of rainfall annually. However, only about 84 billion cubic meters of this amount continues to flow through the Nile River to Aswan, which is approximately 4-5% of the total rainfall in the basin. He also addressed concerns that Egypt receives a disproportionate share of the Nile's water, stating that the country's allocated share of 55.5 billion cubic meters represents only about 2.7% of the total rainfall in the basin.
The minister highlighted the significant differences in water resources and usage between Egypt and other Nile Basin countries, such as Ethiopia. He noted that Ethiopia received over 1,000 billion cubic meters of rainfall in 2023, with around 467 billion cubic meters of this amount falling within the Ethiopian part of the Nile Basin. Suwelim also emphasized Egypt's commitment to cooperation with other Nile Basin countries, citing various development projects and initiatives aimed at supporting economic growth and water management in the region.
Key points
- Egypt's annual water needs stand at 123 billion cubic meters.
