The 5th edition of the Cairo Water Week (CWW) 2022 was launched on Sunday 16-10-2022, under the auspices of President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, with the participation of ministers of irrigation, foreign affairs, agriculture, environment, health, and youth and sports.

The event is scheduled be held from 16 to 19 October 2022, gathering 16 ministerial delegations, 54 official delegations, and 66 international organizations with a total of 1,000 participants.

This year CWW is held under the theme “Water at the heart of climate action,”  focusing on the impacts of climate change on water sector as a preparation for the activities of COP27.

CWW 2022 Objectives

The Fifth Cairo Water Week (CWW) 2022 aims at integrating the water issues into the climate action topics, encouraging innovations to face pressing water challenges, implement the integrated management policies for water, and reach sustainable solutions for water resources management. 

CWW 2022 Agenda
The Fifth Cairo Water Week (CWW) 2022 includes many high-level sessions, technical sessions and workshops, presentations and participations from prominent international speakers, scientific research from experts, professors, students, university graduates and school students, and the holding of many competitions. 

https://cairowaterweek.eg/cwwagenda/agendap

Activities

On the sidelines of the Fifth Cairo Water Week (CWW) 2022

15-10-2022

Minister of Irrigation Hany Swailem and President of the World Water Council Loïc Fauchon opened on Saturday 15/10/2022 the 79th Board of Governors Meeting organized by the World Water Council 
Swailem expressed pleasure for holding the event in Egypt for the second time, referring to the ongoing cooperation between the ministry and the council since 1996.

Swailem reviewed the challenges facing water sector in Egypt, which resulted from limited water resources, overpopulation and the negative impacts of climate change.

For his part, Fauchon highlighted the history of cooperation between the two sides, describing the CWW as one of the most important platforms for dialogue at the international level in the field of water. 

Day 1: Sunday 16/10/2022

The Opening Ceremony

The opening ceremony started by welcoming all attendees. Then, several distinguished water leaders delivered their speeches during the ceremony, including; Dr.  AbdulHakim  Elwaer, Assistant-Director  General  &  Regional,  Representative  of  the Regional Office for the Near East and North Africa – FAO, who mentioned that " This year is a very special year. The Cairo Water Week is coming a few weeks before the 27th Conference of Parties of the UN Framework Convention on climate change, hosted by Egypt and which will take place next month in Sharm-El-Sheikh." H.E. Mr. Henk WJ Ovink, the Netherlands' Special Envoy for Water Affairs, who said: "From Cairo to Sharm El-Sheikh to New York, linking water and climate for a just, sustainable and resilient world," adding that water is  the  catalyst  for  sustainable development and climate action.

For his part, Foreign Minister and President-Designate of the 27th session of the UN Climate Change Conference (COP27) Sameh Shoukry delivered a speech at the opening ceremony of the 5th edition of Cairo Water Week (CWW 2022)

Shoukry said that this year's water week is held at critical times as the country is gearing up for hosting the incoming global climate change summit (COP27) in Sharm El Sheikh next month.

Shoukry highlighted that as one of the top countries suffering from water scarcity, and one of the driest countries in the world, Egypt has dedicated its national efforts to attaining Sustainable Development Goal no. 6 (SDG 6) on water through Egypt's 2030 Vision.

He added that Egypt is also moving towards that goal, ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all, through a strategic plan for managing water resources until 2037.

Highlighting Egypt's efforts in support of the Global Water Agenda, Shoukry said the approaching climate summit, set for November 6-18, will feature presidential roundtable event on water security, noting that a separate day will be dedicated to discuss water issues during the summit.

Shoukry further invited participants to discuss the challenges facing water-scarce countries, transboundary cooperation under international law for regional peace, stability, and integration, ways to optimize technology and innovation, and how to secure the funds necessary for implementing environmentally sustainable projects.

Egypt's Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation, Prof. Dr. Hani Sewilam delivered a speech, in which he welcomed all the attendees, saying that Egypt is hosting this important international conference on the issue of water for the fifth year in a row, noting that this year this event is an important preparatory event for the water activities of the COP27 Climate Conference, allowing the opportunity to meet with various countries and organizations with a common interest in water issues to unify visions and efforts towards integrating water issues with the climate change file, which reflects the importance of the “Water and Climate Change” file as a vital file for the Egyptian state and its constant aspiration to communicate with its partners in this regard.

He added that Egypt seeks, by organizing this important event, to enhance the bonds of cooperation and scientific and technical exchange, raise awareness of water issues and encourage innovative ideas to confront the challenges facing the water sector, whose existence is associated with the existence of life.

He pointed out that the Cairo Water Week, since its first year, has adopted many activities related to water and sustainable development with the aim of creating community awareness and the participation of all groups in events, starting from school students to experts, scientists, politicians and executives.

Finally, H.E President Abel Fattah El-Sisi delivered a recorded speech concluding the opening ceremony of the 5th edition of Cairo Water Week (CWW 2022) 

Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation Hani Sewilam met with Senegalese Minister of Water and Sanitation Serigne Mbaye on the margins of the 5th edition of Cairo Water Week (CWW 2022).

Sewilam said that this declaration is a significant step towards the 2023 Conference for the Midterm Comprehensive Review of Implementation of the UN Decade for Action on Water and Sanitation (2018-2028)

He also invited Senegal to support an Egyptian climate adaptation initiative for the water sector, which will be launched during the incoming global climate summit Egypt will host Sharm El Sheikh next month.
Sewilam also underscored the important role expected from the African Ministers' Council on Water (AMCOW) in favor of the Egyptian initiative, which aims to enhance water resilience.

He highlighted that guided by the principles and ideals of the Charter of the United Nations, the Dakar Declaration reaffirms the need to strengthen mutually beneficial cooperation and partnership in the management of transboundary basins, including aquifer basins, in particular by promoting the exchange of information, experience and best practices.

Also on the fringe of the event, Sewilam met with Lebanese and Tanzanian counterparts to discuss cooperation for effective management of water resources.

Day 2: Monday 10/17-2022

The activities of the second day of the Fifth Cairo Water Week included a number of high-level, technical and discussion sessions and workshops throughout the day, with a total of 24 sessions.

Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation Hani Sewilam participated in a key session entitled "Political Dialogues in the Water Scarcity Countries to Achieve Sustainable Development Objectives" held as part of the second day of CWW's conference.

The minister reviewed the water challenges facing Egypt which mainly depends on 97percent of its water needs on the Nile River in view of the water scarcity and decrease of rain amounts along with the negative impact of climate changes.

He also said that Egypt has fixed quota of the Nile River water which amounts to 55.5 billion cubic meters, underlining the decrease in the per capita quota from the Nile Water as well as the water poverty limits which amounted to 1,000 billion cubic meters annually.

Sewilam also explained that state's policy to counter such challenges through several projects of water reuse, water desalination as well as importation of agricultural products as well as several initiatives such as "Water Adaptation and Resilience" that will be launched during COP27.

He also said Egypt has adopted a cross-border approach and intensified its cooperation with the Nile basin countries through several bilateral projects for water management, citing the digging of several underground wells and water stations with the aim of implementing the sustainable development objectives for the African states.

The minister noted that it is the first time that Egypt places the water issue in the heart of COP27 activities, calling on attendees to support Egypt initiatives for the management of water resources and outlining policies for water adaptation and resilience.

During the session, Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation Hani Sewilam launched "Cairo Call for Action" as a contribution from Cairo Water Week "CWW 2022" to the UN Climate Summit (COP27)'s proceedings as well as the mid-term review of the UN Water Decade Conference which is to take place in New York in March 2023.

The minister also reviewed the main pillars of “Cairo Call for Action,” asserting that the call revolves around four main themes, topped by transboundary cooperation, explaining that Egypt depends on the Nile River, which originates outside of Egyptian borders, for 97 per cent of its water needs.

Sewilam added that the second, third, and fourth themes focus on climate adaptation in the water sector, smart financing for climate projects, and sustainable development of water resources through research and innovation-based projects.

Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation Hani Sewilam said it is high time to put water at the heart of climate action and the17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation Hani Sewilam participated in a technical session on the Egyptian coasts as a part of the 5th edition of the Cairo Water Week.

The minister affirmed that Egypt is largely exposed to the climate change ramifications, which come from the South due to the hydrological changes in the Nile Basin in addition to consequences coming from the North, referring to the increase in the sea level due to climate change, a matter which causes saltwater intrusion.

He pointed out that water should be put on the top of the climate change agenda, thanking Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry and Environment Minister Yasmin Fouad for their efforts to pay attention to water at the core of climate action.