On the sidelines of the African Summit, Egypt's Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation, and Egyptians Abroad, Badr Abdelatty, took part in a high-level side event held on Monday, entitled "Ensuring Sustainable Water and Sanitation Availability to Achieve the Goals of Africa Agenda 2063."
In his remarks, Abdelatty expressed his support for the adoption of the Africa Water Vision and Policy 2063, characterizing it as a thorough framework aimed at enhancing the sustainable management of water resources throughout the continent.
He emphasized the significance of the principles outlined in the policy, especially those concerning the management and use of transboundary water resources—principles that Egypt has consistently championed.
He said that the endorsement of these principles at the African Summit transforms them into binding commitments for African nations, which no state can ignore or exempt itself from.
The minister pointed out the fundamental principles highlighted by the vision, particularly the recognition of water as a basic human right instead of a mere economic asset, and the rejection of treating shared water resources as solely sovereign assets.
He sounded the alarm that such perspectives could exacerbate inequalities and jeopardize both water and food security.
In the same connection, he affirmed the necessity of international collaboration in the management of shared water resources, the importance of securing the consent of riparian states for projects affecting transboundary waterways, the rejection of unilateral actions, and the strict adherence to international law—especially the principles of cooperation, consensus, and the obligation to avoid causing harm.
Abdelatty also noted that Egypt is one of the most water-scarce nations globally, depending almost entirely on the Nile River to fulfill its water requirements, amidst increasing challenges such as rapid population growth, urban expansion, and the negative effects of climate change.
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