Egypt and Germany discuss strengthening the strategic partnership to support water security in Africa

Enhancing international cooperation in the sector Water Security is one of the important paths to support development efforts on the African continent, in light of the increasing challenges associated with the scarcity of water resources, climate change, and population growth, and the need these challenges impose to develop projects capable of meeting the growing needs and achieving more efficient and sustainable management of resources.

In this context, Egypt continues to support its pioneering role on the continent and enhance its African depth, based on its keenness to support the efforts of African countries in confronting water challenges and advancing sustainable development paths.

International partnerships in this field are gaining increasing importance, because of the…Opportunities to mobilize funding, expertise, and technology and direct them toward projects with a tangible impact, supporting the transformation of priorities in the field of water security into implementable projects, and enhancing the ability of continental institutions to respond to the needs of African countries and communities.

Expanding partnerships and exchanging experiences

In this regard, Dr. Hani Sweilem, Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation and Chairman of the Governing Council of the African Water Facility (AWF), met with Mrs. Reem Al-Abali Radovan, Federal Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development of Germany, in the presence of Ambassador Mohamed Al-Badri, Ambassador of the Arab Republic of Egypt to the Federal Republic of Germany, and a number of officials from the African Water Facility and the Bank, to discuss ways to strengthen the partnership between Germany and the African Water Facility and support water security and development projects. Sustainable.

Dr. Hani Sweilem, in his capacity as Chairman of the Governing Council of the African Water Facility, stressed the importance of expanding the facility’s network of international partnerships and building a long-term strategic partnership with Germany, in light of its important role as a development partner in Africa, and its contribution to the African Development Bank Group, in addition to the expertise and capabilities possessed by German institutions, led by the German Development Bank “Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau (KfW)” and the German Agency for International Cooperation. “Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ)”.

In line with the seventeenth goal: establishing partnerships to achieve the goals, by strengthening international partnerships and mobilizing the necessary resources and expertise to support water projects on the continent.

Water utility strategy to support water security

Dr. Hani Sweilem also explained that the African Water Facility represents a continental mechanism led by Africa, and works to bridge the gap between the needs of African countries and communities and solutions and projects that are implementable on the ground, by supporting the preparation of feasibility studies, technical designs, environmental and financial assessments, and other preparatory work necessary to transform water needs into high-quality projects ready for financing and investment.

Dr. Sweilem pointed out that the African Water Facility’s strategy for the period 2026-2030 enhances the role of the Facility as a leading continental platform for preparing water projects and mobilizing investments, and is consistent with the African Water Vision and Policy 2063, which contributes to translating the priorities of African countries in the areas of water, sanitation, adaptation to climate change and security.Food and energy projects and concrete investments that serve African communities, in line with the sixth goal on clean water and sanitation, the second goal calling for eliminating hunger, and the thirteenth goal related to climate action.

He stressed that there is a clear compatibility between the facility’s strategy and the new directions of German development policy, especially with regard to the focus on Africa, water security issues, strategic partnerships, mobilizing investments, and enhancing private sector participation, which provides a strong basis for developing more effective institutional and financial cooperation between the two sides.

Funding and expertise to advance African water security projects

For her part, Mrs. Reem Al-Abali Radovan expressed the German side’s aspiration to continue cooperation with the African Water Facility and to benefit from the expertise of the Development Bank.German (KfW) and the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ), and German technologies and expertise to support the water sector in Africa.

Dr. Sweilem stressed that this approach represents an important step towards building a broader strategic partnership between the African Water Facility and Germany, which is based on combining the facility’s ability to identify the needs of African countries and prepare bankable projects, with the capabilities of German institutions in financing, technical expertise and technology, in a way that supports the implementation of water and water security projects on the continent.

An integrated model to support water projects

Dr. Sweilem also pointed out the importance of involving the German private sector within this partnership, and benefiting from the expertise and technologies possessed by German companies in the fields of drinking water and wastewater.Health, treatment, and raising the efficiency of facilities, stressing that cooperation between the African Water Facility, the German Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development, the German Development Bank, the German Agency for International Cooperation, and the private sector can provide an integrated model to support water projects on the continent.

The two sides agreed to continue discussions at the technical level to determine areas and mechanisms for cooperation during the next phase, and to study ways to support the implementation of the African Water Facility’s strategy 2026-2030, and to strengthen the link between the projects that the Facility is preparing and German financing, expertise and technologies.

Dr. Sweilem stressed his aspiration to strengthen the partnership with Germany as an important partner for the African Water Facility, which will contribute to mobilizing more resources, expertise and investments, and transforming water security priorities in Africa into viable projects.For implementation, it achieves a tangible impact for citizens and communities on the continent.

In conclusion, the importance of moving towards building a more integrated partnership between the African Water Facility and Germany goes beyond providing financing for water projects, and relates to the continent’s ability to transform its water needs into projects qualified for financing and implementation. The combination of the facility’s role in preparing projects and German financing, technical and technological expertise opens the way for reducing the gap between development priorities and investable projects.

From the perspective of Earth Defenders Foundation, strengthening this type of partnership represents an important step towards building more sustainable solutions to water challenges on the continent, especially with growing pressures related to climate change, population growth and development needs. The Foundation believes that linking projectsWith financing, expertise and technology, along with expanded private sector involvement, water security can be made a development priority, to establish projects with a tangible impact on African communities.