Egypt signs UNESCO Chair deal on transboundary water governance at National Water Research Center

CAIRO - 13 MARCH 2026: Egypt has signed an agreement to establish a UNESCO Chair on the management and governance of transboundary water at the National Water Research Centre (NWRC).

Officials say this move is meant to strengthen scientific cooperation, build specialized expertise, and support more sustainable ways to handle shared water resources.

Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty attended the signing ceremony, hosted by Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation Hani Sewilam, and joined by Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research Abdel Aziz Konsowa, who also heads Egypt’s National Commission for UNESCO.

The agreement was signed by Roberto Borr (UNESCO Cairo office) and Sherif Mohamady, head of the National Water Research Center, according to Egyptian media coverage.

In his remarks, Abdelatty praised Egypt’s wider cooperation with UNESCO in science, research, and capacity building, saying Egypt’s hosting of multiple UNESCO Chairs reflects the standing of its universities and research institutions and helps expand innovation and knowledge exchange.

He said water is one of the world’s most pressing challenges, especially in regions where countries share rivers and aquifers, and argued that scientific cooperation and knowledge-sharing are essential for responsible, long-term management.

Abdelatty also pointed to UNESCO’s role in “science diplomacy,” especially through its water-focused programs such as the Intergovernmental Hydrological Programme, saying Egypt hopes the new chair will support advanced research on transboundary cooperation and help train specialists able to deal with increasingly complex water pressures.

The minister stressed that scientific solutions and closer coordination among riparian states are key to managing shared resources in a way that supports stability and development. He also repeated Egypt’s rejection of unilateral steps that violate international law in the Eastern Nile Basin, saying consensus should remain the governing principle in cross-border water relations.