Egyptian Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation, Hani Suwelim, recently convened a meeting with members of the Executive Secretariat for Cairo Water Week. The purpose of the meeting was to assess the current state of preparations for the upcoming 9th Cairo Water Week. Scheduled to occur from October 28 to 29, 2026, the event will be held under the auspices of President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi. This year's theme is "Water as a Catalyst for Peace, Shared Prosperity, and a Sustainable Planet."
During the meeting, Suwelim examined the status of international participation in the event. As of now, 11 ministers and a special envoy have confirmed their attendance. Additionally, four deputy ministers or heads of delegations, as well as several presidents and representatives of international and regional organizations, research institutions, and academic bodies, have also confirmed their participation. The ministry continues to follow up with other countries to secure a strong turnout.
The 9th Cairo Water Week is expected to draw significant participation from international and regional organizations. These organizations will be involved in organizing technical and scientific sessions, as well as sponsoring competitions. A total of 114 sessions have been planned, with contributors including the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), UNESCO, the International Water Management Institute, and the Islamic Network for Water and Sanitation. Notably, the European Union and FAO will be participating as co-organizers.
The conference program features several high-level and important sessions. These include a preparatory session for the 2026 United Nations Water Conference and a session on green water. UNESCO is organizing sessions on capacity building in Africa and the Arab region. Furthermore, the sixth high-level international symposium on water security will be held in collaboration with the Chinese Ministry of Water Resources and the World Water Council.
Parallel to the main event, several international and regional activities have been planned. The 7th Arab Water Conference will take place on October 26-27, 2026, under the theme "Water in the Arab Region: Partnerships for Sustainable Development and Peace." The Arab Ministerial Water Council meeting will also be held, promoting Arab dialogue on water and sustainable development issues.
The scientific conference has attracted considerable interest, with 122 research abstracts submitted to the scientific committee. Following an initial evaluation phase, 104 abstracts were accepted, and 40 expanded abstracts and 26 full research papers have qualified for the second stage. The committee is currently reviewing these submissions. In cooperation with the World Water Policy journal, selected high-quality research papers will be published without any charges.
The competitions scheduled for Cairo Water Week, targeting young people, researchers, and innovators, have seen growing interest. Entries for the "Hackathon on Water," "Three-Minute Thesis," "Young Innovators in Water," "Best Practices for Water Conservation," and "Best Graduation Projects" competitions are being evaluated. Meanwhile, preparations for the accompanying exhibition have been finalized, with 16 booths booked by major Egyptian and international companies operating in the water, infrastructure, and energy sectors.
Key points
- The 9th Cairo Water Week will feature over 100 sessions and side events, attracting high-level participation from governments, international organizations, and the private sector.
