العربية
Address
H.E. Mr. Abdel Fattah El-Sisi
President of the Arab Republic of Egypt
At the Opening of the Ninth Edition of Cairo Water Week
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Your Excellencies,
Ministers and Heads of Delegations,
Representatives of International and Regional Organizations and Institutions,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Since the dawn of history, one of the greatest human civilizations arose on the banks of the River Nile in Egypt. The Nile was the foundation of stability and the driving force behind development and prosperity.
For Egypt, the Nile was not merely a river; rather, it was and continues to be the lifeline of the country and a bridge for communication and cooperation among peoples.
From Egypt, the land of the Nile and civilization, I welcome you to the ninth edition of Cairo Water Week, which has become an international platform for dialogue, the exchange of expertise, and the building of partnerships. This year, we meet under the theme: “Water as a Catalyst for Peace, Shared Prosperity, and a Sustainable Planet,” embodying our belief in the role of water in achieving development and strengthening stability and cooperation among countries and peoples.
Distinguished Guests,
Egypt faces a particular water challenge due to its geographical nature and its primary reliance on the River Nile, which is shared by the Nile Basin countries and provides Egypt with more than 98% of its renewable water resources.
With the growing population, increasing water and food needs, and the escalating impacts of climate change, Egypt continues to work to improve the efficiency of water use, develop its water resources, and maximize the benefits derived from them, in parallel with supporting cooperation among the Nile Basin countries, in a manner that achieves water security and sustainable development for all our peoples.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Water issues occupy a prominent priority on the Egyptian foreign policy agenda, as a driver of cooperation and shared prosperity, rather than a political tool for fueling conflicts and disputes.
Egypt is fully aware that it is not alone in facing such challenges. Countries around the world are also exposed to the threats of water scarcity, the increasing risks of droughts and floods, and growing pressure on resources, alongside rising demand for water, food, and energy.
Therefore, water security has become a shared responsibility that requires genuine international cooperation, the mobilization of financing, technology transfer, and capacity-building.
From this standpoint, Egypt attaches great importance to strengthening water cooperation based on respect for the relevant rules of international law at both the African and Arab levels. Egypt is keen to exchange expertise and develop projects and partnerships that serve our peoples.
Distinguished Guests,
Egypt respects and supports the right of all Nile Basin countries to development. We have translated this position into practical action through cooperation with our brothers regarding the proposed projects included in investment programs in the southern Nile Basin countries, in the fields of energy, agriculture, and irrigation.
This experience has demonstrated that prior notification, the exchange of studies, and consultation are practical tools that support moving forward with mobilizing financing for projects, building trust, and safeguarding everyone’s interests. They are not a means of obstructing development or imposing guardianship over any country.
This experience confirms that genuine cooperation is possible whenever the will exists. This is the approach that we also aspire to consolidate in the Eastern Nile Basin, in a manner that serves the interests of Egypt, Sudan, and Ethiopia.
Every country has the right to development and to benefit from its natural resources, provided that it exercises this right responsibly, without harming other countries or compromising their water security. The fact that a river’s headwaters lie within the territory of a country does not grant that country the right to exercise unilateral control over a resource shared by several peoples.
Egypt has consciously chosen the path of cooperation and dialogue, based on its confidence in the justice of its cause and the legality of its position. It firmly believes that protecting the interests of its people is a responsibility that it will not fail to fulfill.
And I say clearly: “Any wager on Egypt’s acceptance of the imposition of a fait accompli, or its relinquishment of its water security, is a losing wager.”
From this standpoint, Egypt’s hand remains extended to its brothers for cooperation based on the rules of international law, consultation and coordination, good neighborliness, and the principle of non-harm.
We are one family united by the Nile, our shared interests are greater than our differences, and our basin possesses extensive resources and potential which, through good management and development, can meet the needs and aspirations of our peoples.
Let us work together to transform this potential into partnerships that maximize shared benefits, safeguard the rights of all our countries, and make the Nile a source of development, prosperity, and stability for all the peoples of the basin.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Since the dawn of history, the Nile has been a creator of civilization and a bridge between peoples. We want it to remain so: a river that brings us together rather than divides us, and a resource whose benefits extend to all its peoples, where everyone’s rights are safeguarded, and which is not an arena for imposing wills.
From Cairo, we renew our call to make water a catalyst for peace and shared prosperity, and to move forward together from crisis management to building solutions, and from commitments to implementation.
As I announce the opening of the “Ninth Edition of Cairo Water Week,” I wish your proceedings success and good fortune, and I wish our joint efforts tangible results that strengthen peace and secure a future for our peoples that is safer, more just, and more prosperous.
Thank you for your kind attention.
May the peace, mercy, and blessings of Allah be upon you.
ENFRWC الشبكة المصرية
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