Egypt’s Foreign Minister Rejects Unilateral Actions on Transboundary Rivers at Water Conference

Badr Abdel Aty, Egypt’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, met with Yuko Kamikawa, the Special Envoy of the Japanese Prime Minister for the United Nations Water Conference 2026. The meeting aimed to foster joint coordination and enhance collaboration on water issues and sustainable development.

Minister Abdel Aty expressed his eagerness to continue the close cooperation between Egypt and Japan during the co-presidency of the third interactive dialogue of the conference, led by Kamikawa and Professor Hani Sewilam, Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation. He emphasized building on the successful partnership established during the UN Water Conference 2023 to achieve targeted goals and produce tangible outcomes at the UN Water Conference 2026, thus advancing the international water agenda through 2030.

During the discussion, Abdel Aty highlighted Egypt’s severe water scarcity challenges, noting the government’s commitment to addressing these issues through its National Water Resources Management Strategy. This strategy encompasses a comprehensive and innovative vision for optimizing water use, expanding treatment and reuse practices, and modernizing irrigation methods.

In this context, he welcomed collaborative efforts with Japan on these projects to share advanced technological expertise.

Furthermore, Minister Abdel Aty stressed the importance of cooperation and integration while rejecting unilateral actions concerning transboundary rivers, including the Nile. He underscored that such cooperation is essential for mutual benefit and shared interests in accordance with international law principles, particularly the necessity for prior notification and avoiding harm to downstream countries.