The Cairo Water Conference

Recently, Egypt sponsored an internal conference “Cairo Water Week” which began on October 14-18, 2018.

Seventy nations participated represented by high officials, as well as the United Nations,  and the FAO. In addition, water experts and scientists took part in the conference.

The objective of the conference was to create awareness on water shortage in the Arab World and to discuss the possibility of conserving water in light of the high population increase.

The attendees also discussed the negative future consequences of Global weather changes and its impact on the region.

The director of the Arab League, Mr. Abu el Gheet, and the head of the Arab Water Council, Dr. Abed Ilati, they both recognized the water shortage in the Arab World and called for its conservation.

Six Arab countries are classified as water poverty stricken. The individual water share in those countries is 500cu.m/year. According to the UN scale, the average water need is 1000cu.m/person/per year.

None of the Arab states can be classified as self-sufficient in food production. Sudan is the only country that can be classified as self-sufficient in food production. It can be the bread basket of Africa. Ironically, Sudan rely on the import of wheat. This is due to the corruption of its government.

Egypt is classified as the number one nation in wheat import due to the fact that more than 90% of its land is barren desert, and also due to water shortage.

Egypt gets 56 million cu.m. of water from the Nile River. This equals to 90% of the water consumed annually in Egypt. In addition, another 1.2 billion cu.m. per year from rain fall.

According to the Egyptian minister of irrigation and water resources, Dr. Aded Ilatti, Egypt is water poverty stricken. The average water consumed is 500 cu.m. per person in a year.

The discussion should also be viewed in light of Egypt population increase (Masrawi.com 10/18.2018).

Experts at the Conference provided technical information and discussed the possibility  of water management.

The second focus in the conference was the UN report, that global weather changes will negatively impact North Africa and the Arab World regions the most.

In the next fifty years, the temperature will increase, rain fall will decrease, desertification will increase. Furthermore, the sea level will rise causing flooding to countries where the land is below sea level.

Egypt will be among the countries where part of the country will be covered by sea water.

Kolne university in Germany issued a scientific report stating that more than 49  cities along the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean will disappear from the rise of water level, Turkey, Greece and Britain are among the countries that will be affected (al nahar 10/19/2018).

The Conference provided important information, specially to the Egyptian public.