Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation Hany Sewilam Saturday, September 12, 2026, discussed with Uzbekistan’s Ambassador to Egypt Mansurbek Kilichev and his accompanying delegation ways to strengthen cooperation in water resources, irrigation and sustainable development.
During the meeting, Sewilam expressed Egypt’s appreciation for its strong relations with Uzbekistan and reaffirmed Cairo’s keenness to activate a memorandum of understanding signed between the two countries on water resources. He called for swiftly holding the first meeting of the Egyptian-Uzbek joint working group to establish a clear roadmap for cooperation and achieve tangible results.
The minister outlined Egypt’s vision under its second-generation Water 2.0 framework, which includes digital transformation, artificial intelligence, smart irrigation and climate change adaptation. He stressed the importance of strengthening direct cooperation between Egypt’s National Water Research Center and its counterparts in Uzbekistan, expanding communication among researchers and specialists, and carrying out joint applied studies and projects, describing scientific research and knowledge exchange as key avenues for developing bilateral cooperation.
For his part, Ambassador Kilichev affirmed Uzbekistan’s interest in expanding cooperation with Egypt and benefiting from Egyptian expertise in water resources management, particularly in digital transformation, smart irrigation and modern technologies. He pointed to similarities in some of the water challenges facing the two countries and stressed Uzbekistan’s keenness to develop cooperation between technical and research institutions and turn it into tangible results and practical projects.
The meeting also addressed preparations for an upcoming visit to Egypt by a high-level Uzbek delegation, as well as coordination between the two countries at international and regional water-related forums. Sewilam stressed the importance of adhering to international water law, particularly the principles of causing no harm, prior notification and consultation, and cooperation among riparian states.
He also invited Uzbekistan’s Minister of Water Resources to participate in the ninth Cairo Water Week, scheduled to be held in October. Egypt-China Joint Communiqué on the further deepening of their comprehensive strategic partnership Old Kingdom tomb discovered at Egypt’s Saqqara necropolis