Egypt, UNDP discuss closer cooperation on water and climate adaptation

CAIRO - 7 APRIL 2026: Egypt’s Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation Hany Sewilam met Chitose Noguchi, the United Nations Development Programme’s resident representative in Egypt, to discuss ways to deepen cooperation on water issues and climate adaptation.

 

The meeting was attended by Mohamed Bayoumi, assistant resident representative and head of the environment unit at UNDP Egypt.

 

Sewilam praised what he described as strong cooperation between the ministry and the UNDP over recent years, stressing the importance of continued coordination in areas linked to climate adaptation, especially as Egypt moves forward with national efforts to strengthen early warning systems for climate risks.

 

For her part, Noguchi said the partnership between UNDP and the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation remains strong, adding that both sides would continue working together on projects and initiatives aimed at improving climate resilience in the water sector through practical and implementable plans.

 

The meeting reviewed progress on several joint projects, most notably the project on enhancing climate change adaptation along the North Coast and the Nile Delta. The project is being carried out through a $31.4 million grant from the Green Climate Fund and is due to be completed in November 2026.

 

According to the review, work completed so far includes maps of sea level rise risks, saltwater intrusion maps, and flash flood risk maps. The project has also supported the development of coastal monitoring systems and an integrated coastal zone management plan covering Egypt’s northern coastline.

 

The two sides also discussed possible future cooperation under the project’s second phase, particularly beach nourishment projects as nature-based solutions that could complement ongoing coastal protection efforts.

 

The meeting also touched on the progress of a separate project on desalinating water using renewable energy for agriculture, which has been implemented in cooperation with UNDP since 2023. A broad workshop has already been held with international financing institutions and development partners to help mobilize funding for the project.

 

The talks further reviewed the components of Egypt’s national adaptation plan in the water sector, which is being prepared jointly by the ministry and the UNDP. The plan includes assessing the impact of climate change on water resources, carrying out specialized groundwater studies, and developing integrated databases for flash flood protection projects.

 

The discussions reflect Egypt’s wider push to combine climate adaptation with long-term water security planning, especially as pressure on water resources grows and climate threats become more severe.