Egypt's ties with Nile basin states Sisi's top priority

President Abdel Fattah El Sisi puts Egypt's relationship with Nile basin countries on top of his priorities, Water Resources Minister Hossam Moghazi said.

Egypt's water share of the Nile is undebatable and untouchable and the country is seeking to increase its water resources through new projects in the upper Nile region, Moghazi said on the sidelines of a visit of Sharqiya on Monday.

Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia are adamant to make the coming negotiations round, which will be held at the experts' level on Saturday and Sunday in Cairo, successful, he said.

After the meetings, the experts will submit outcome reports to the water resources ministers of the three countries, he said, adding that the ministers will then hold a meeting that could be joined by the three foreign ministers.

As for measures to face flash floods in Egypt, Moghazi said the ministry has pumped EGP 400 million in South Sinai in just a year to this end, more than what has been spent over the past ten years (EGP 90 million).

The plan aims to curtail the repercussions of flash floods and harvest their water for the direct benefit of residents of the area, he said.

The ministry has been applying several projects in Sharqiya, including the establishment of a giant culvert beneath Bilbeis drainage at cost of EGP 98 million by the end of 2016.

Source: MENA