Egypt looks forward to boosting water management cooperation with the Netherlands

Egypt looks forward to strengthening cooperation with the Netherlands in water management and agriculture, two crucial sectors with promising opportunities for both countries.

Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry briefed his Dutch counterpart, Wopke Hoekstra, on the latest Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam issue developments, clarifying his country's vision.

Ethiopia is in dispute with Egypt and Sudan over the Renaissance Dam it has been building since 2011.

Cairo says the project threatens its water "rights," calling for a binding legal agreement with Addis Ababa and Khartoum that regulates the rules of filling and operating the dam and preserving its water security.

The Nile water accounts for about 97 percent of Egypt's needs, or 55.5 billion cubic meters.

Egypt suffers from a scarcity of water resources. It needs about 114 billion cubic meters annually, while the available water resources amount to 74 billion cubic meters, according to the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation.

On Thursday, Shoukry met with his Dutch counterpart on the sidelines of the G20 foreign ministers meeting in New Delhi, India.

The Foreign Ministry spokesman, Ahmed Abu Zeid, said the meeting addressed boosting ties and enhancing consultation mechanisms and cooperation in various fields.

Abu Zeid noted that the two ministers focused on exchanging views on regional and international issues, namely the Russian-Ukrainian crisis, and coordinating positions regarding participation in the UN Water Conference scheduled for March in New York.