Archive for water resources

Ministry warns of possible heavy rain

by admin
October 25th, 2012

The Water Resources and Irrigation Ministry said Thursday it has raised the state of alert to the maximum in preparation for possible torrential rains in parts of Egypt.



In a statement, the ministry said an early alert system would be used in Upper Egypt, Sinai and along the Red Sea to predict rainfall 24 to 72 hours beforehand. The system relies on satellite channels and other tools.



Irrigation Minister Mohamed Bahaa Eddin told the press that governorates and local councils have worked with the ministry to pinpoint villages and residential areas that could face problems in the event of heavy rain.

Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
 

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Irrigation Ministry declares flood alert

by admin
September 27th, 2012

The Ministry of Irrigation and Water Resources declared a state of high alert on Thursday in advance of what are predicted to be heavy rains and floods, according to state meteorological agency reports.

Irrigation Minister Mohamed Bahaa Eddin said the alert is in effect for all departments, who must take measures to protect water networks and waterways against the potential floods.

The minister added he gave orders to department heads to carry out maintenance procedures and safety checks.

The Irrigation Ministry utilizes an early warning system in different governorates of Upper Egypt, Sinai and the Red Sea to predict floods from 24 to 72 hours in advance using satellite imagery and digital terrestrial stations.

Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm

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Morsy appoints new Cabinet secretary general

by admin
September 6th, 2012

President Mohamed Morsy appointed Safwat Abdel Dayem as secretary general of the Cabinet on Thursday.

According to Al-Masry Al-Youm, Abdel Dayem is the first civilian to occupy the position of Cabinet secretary general, which acts as the link between the prime minister and the state's other executive bodies.

Abdel Dayem, 69, is a full-time professor at the National Water Research Center, which is affiliated with the Water Resources and Irrigation Ministry. He previously served as secretary general of the Arab Water Council.

Various news reports have pointed out that Abdel Dayem is a close friend of Prime Minister Hesham Qandil. Privately owned Youm7 said Abdel Dayem had Qandil's "confidence."

Qandil served as water resources and irrigation minister in the Cabinet of former Prime Minister Kamal al-Ganzouri.

Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm

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Categories Egypt, Egypt Top Stories
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Egypt revolution doesn’t affect Nile Basin countries’ stance on new agreement

by admin
May 22nd, 2012

Egypt’s revolution would not change Tanzania’s stance on a water-sharing agreement that would strip Egypt of its historical Nile water share, a Tanzanian minister said, according to privately owned Al-Shorouk newspaper.

Mahadhi Maalim, deputy minister of foreign affairs and international cooperation, said upstream countries desperately need to make use of their water resources and not antagonize other countries.

In April 2010, Rwanda, Kenya, Tanzania, Ethiopia and Uganda signed the Entebbe framework agreement, which aimed to redistribute Nile water shares. Burundi joined the agreement in March 2011.

Sudan and Egypt opposed the deal on the basis that it threatens their historical water share granted by a 1959 agreement made with Sudan under British occupation.

Maalim said negotiation is the only and best way to resolve any conflict among the upstream and downstream countries when it comes to Nile water issues.

Tanzania is an upstream country with tropical lakes from which Egypt receives 15 percent of its share of Nile water.

But Maalim said this doesn’t mean that the ratification of the agreement would be delayed. He said he doesn’t see real conflict between upstream and downstream countries, and urged abandoning any agreement made under occupation.

Maalim said Egyptian-Tanzanian relations weren’t affected after Hosni Mubarak’s resignation.

“Egypt’s relationship with Africa doesn’t depend on individuals or leaders, but it’s a relationship between two countries with joint issues that makes cooperation imperative,” he said.

Egypt has the lion’s share of Nile water — 51 billion square meters annually — based on 1959 accord signed with Sudan, which receives 18 billion square meters per year in the deal.

Egypt says both the 1959 agreement, as well as another signed in 1929 with British authorities, stipulate that the approval of all Nile Basin states must be gained before the implementation of any water-utilization projects.

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Former minister criticizes presidential hopefuls for not attending water summit

by admin
May 14th, 2012

A former water resources minister criticized Egyptian presidential candidates Monday for not attending a conference on African water resources that is set to address water issues and Egypt’s relations with Nile Basin states.

Africa Water Week, organized by the Ministerial Council of African Water Ministers, began Monday and was attended by the largest number of African ministers ever.

“Unfortunately, the platforms of the majority of presidential candidates are devoid of the water issue, despite its significance and importance for Egypt’s future in the coming years,” said former Water Resources and Irrigation Minister Mahmoud Abu Zeid.

In statements to the press on the sidelines of the conference, Abu Zeid described the water as being the “engine” needed by Egyptian politics, and that Egyptian-African cooperation is a “strategic goal for building Egypt during the coming decades.”

“Egyptian presidential candidates must make a pledge that the water issue will be at the top of their interests during their reigns,” he said.

A number of Nile Basin country water ministers opted out of the Africa Water Week meetings to avoid a possible conflict with Egypt.

Countries that sent their ministers to the event included the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda, South Sudan and Sudan, while Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Burundi, Tanzania and Eritrea only sent their ambassadors in Cairo, rather than their ministers.

The conference aims at discussing the future of water and wastewater in Africa, and the impact of climate change on water resources, as well as ways to face those challenges.

Prime Minister Kamal al-Ganzouri, 15 water ministers, 54 deputy ministers and 400 international water and environment experts attended the conference Monday.

During the four days of meetings, the officials will tackle the private sector’s role in water and wastewater project investment, and how to achieve the United Nations’ Millennium Development Goal to cut the number of those deprived of water and wastewater in half by 2015.

On the sidelines of the conference, Egypt will be elected president of the ministerial council for African water ministers for two years. Sources informed about the move explained this to Al-Masry Al-Youm as a way to restore Egypt’s role, which they said has been missed in the continent for a long time.

The meetings will also focus on challenges facing African governments in managing water resources, food, energy and food security, and in financing projects and building national capacities to face water challenges.

Hesham Mohamed Qandil, Egypt’s irrigation and water resources minister, said ahead of the meetings that they aim toward achieving more cooperation, exchanging experiences among African countries and managing water resources.

Negative impacts of climate change on African water resources will be discussed as one of the main challenges, Qandil added.

The Sudanese water resources minister, Saif-Eddin Hamad Abdulla, said the meetings will work on setting ways to achieve joint projects among the African countries to increase water supply to areas deprived of it, coverage of wastewater projects and an improvement in people’s health conditions.

Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm

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African ministers meet in Cairo over water resources

by admin
May 14th, 2012

African ministers met for a conference in Cairo Monday to discuss the future of water and wastewater in Africa, and the impact of climate change on water resources, as well as ways to face those challenges.

Prime Minister Kamal al-Ganzouri, 15 water ministers, 54 deputy ministers and 400 international water and environment experts attended the conference Monday.

During the four days of meetings, the officials will tackle the private sector’s role in water and wastewater project investment, and how to achieve the United Nations’ Millennium Development Goal to cut the number of those deprived of water and wastewater in half by 2015.

On the sidelines of the conference, Egypt will be elected president of the ministerial council for African water ministers for two years. Sources informed about the move explained this to Al-Masry Al-Youm as a way to restore Egypt’s role, which they said has been missed in the continent for a long time.

The meetings will also focus on challenges facing African governments in managing water resources, food, energy and food security, and in financing projects and building national capacities to face water challenges.

Hesham Mohamed Qandil, Egypt’s irrigation and water resources minister, said ahead of the meetings that they aim toward achieving more cooperation, exchanging experiences among African countries and managing water resources.

Negative impacts of climate change on African water resources will be discussed as one of the main challenges, Qandil added.

The Sudanese water resources minister, Saif-Eddin Hamad Abdulla, said the meetings will work on setting ways to achieve joint projects among the African countries to increase water supply to areas deprived of it, coverage of wastewater projects and an improvement in people’s health conditions.

Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm

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Egypt’s Nile water quota unchanged since 1955, says irrigation minister

by admin
May 13th, 2012

Water resources and irrigation minister Hesham Mohamed Qandil told the Parliament Agriculture and Irrigation Committee on Sunday that Egypt's Nile water quota of 5.55 billion cubic meters has not changed since 1955.

Kandil explained that the per capita share of water has decreased due to an increase in irrigation and population.

He added that the government is making efforts to ration the use of water and cooperate with Nile Basin countries to increase water resources for all member states.

“We keep clearing weeds and other obstacles that prevent access of water to the canals,” he said. “But fishermen are against it because fish feed on those weeds.”

Parliament accused the ministry of failing to prevent Nile Basin countries from building dams, which reduced Egypt’s quota to 32 billion cubic meters last year.

Edited translation from MENA

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Irrigation minister flies to Addis Ababa for discussions over Nile dam

by admin
March 25th, 2012

Irrigation and Water Resources Minister Hesham Mohamed Qandil left Sunday for Addis Ababa for a visit that will last for few days. He will meet with the water ministers of Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia.

The meetings will tackle the future of water resources in the three countries. Arrangements will be made for contracting four international experts, chosen by a committee formed by the three governments to evaluate the construction of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam — formerly known as the Grand Millennium Nile Dam — on the Blue Nile.

Qandil said the Ethiopian side will provide technical studies and information about the dam when the contracts are signed so that the committee can start work.

The committee’s work will last around six months, the minister said. It aims to reach a comprehensive evaluation of the procedures the Ethiopian government must undertake to face the negative impacts of the dam.

In April, Ethiopia began work for the construction of the Nile dam, which triggered Egyptian fears that the dam would affect Egypt’s historical share of Nile water.

Egypt, according to a treaty signed with Sudan under the British occupation, is entitled to 55.5 billion cubic meters a year Nile’s flow of around 84 billion cubic meters. According to the treaty, any country wishing to establish any agrarian project must first seek Egypt’s approval.

But Nile Basin countries, including Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda and Tanzania, signed an agreement in Entebbe in May 2010 that sought a fair redistribution of water shares. This has rattled Egypt and Sudan, upstream countries that enjoy the lion’s share of river water, and brought further tensions between Nile River countries.

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