Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation Hani Sweilam affirmed Egypt’s appreciation for the historic and friendly relations with Uzbekistan, stressing Egypt’s keenness to capitalize on growing political momentum in bilateral relations to strengthen water cooperation and translate it into practical and tangible joint action across various fields.
During a meeting on Thursday, September 17, 2026, with a high-level Uzbek delegation headed by First Deputy Prime Minister of Uzbekistan Ilham Ibrahimović to discuss ways of enhancing cooperation in water resources and sustainable development and activating existing frameworks of cooperation between the two countries, the minister underscored the importance of activating the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) previously signed between Egypt and Uzbekistan in the field of water resources.
The MoU covers cooperation in modernizing irrigation and drainage systems, improving water productivity and efficiency, exchanging expertise, conducting joint research, and organizing specialized workshops and training programs. Sweilam said that the Second Generation of the Water Management System (Water 2.0) provides an important platform for strengthening technical cooperation with Uzbekistan through the exchange of expertise in digital water management, remote monitoring and measurement systems, Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) systems, decision-support systems, artificial intelligence applications, early warning systems, rainwater harvesting, and the development of pumping stations and the use of energy-efficient technologies.
The cooperation also includes smart irrigation applications, he added, affirming Egypt’s readiness to present the results of pilot applications implemented in these areas, organize field visits to showcase digital and smart applications, and explore the possibility of implementing joint projects with the Uzbek side.
He further highlighted the importance of enhancing cooperation between Egypt’s National Water Research Center and its counterpart research institutions in Uzbekistan through joint studies, expertise exchange, and the implementation of pilot projects. During the meeting, the Uzbek side outlined priority areas in which it seeks to coordinate with Egypt, including water reuse, greater reliance on modern technologies, digital transformation, measurement systems, water resources management and groundwater management.
The two sides agreed to hold the first meeting of the joint working groups to launch practical cooperation in these fields. On international cooperation, Sweilam stressed the importance of strengthening coordination between Egypt and Uzbekistan at international and regional water forums, particularly on the sustainable and cooperative management of shared international rivers.
The minister also emphasized the importance of exchanging expertise on the governance of shared international rivers, data exchange, and the application of international water law principles. He further stressed the need to uphold the principles of causing no harm, prior notification, consultation, and cooperation among riparian states, in a manner that contributes to water security, stability and sustainable development.