Egypt Approaching Water Scarcity Line, Irrigation Minister Warns

Egypt's Minister of Irrigation and Water Resources, Hani Sewilam, has warned that the country is nearing water scarcity. The per capita share of water resources has seen a significant drop that threatens to put the nation into a state of water scarcity. This situation is mainly due to the mismatch between resources and the population's need for water. Sewilam mentioned that the problem is being addressed by implementing major projects to reuse agricultural wastewater and importing agricultural products. He also highlighted that the agricultural sector, the largest consumer of water resources, needs to emphasize water desalination. In a recently held International Desalination Association Summit in Spain titled 'Water and Climate Change,' Sewilam stated that the Middle East and North Africa, especially Egypt, face significant challenges in managing water resources. The population in these regions increased from 100 million in 1960 to over 450 million in 2018 and is expected to reach more than 720 million by 2050. Approximately two-thirds of the region’s population live in areas suffering from water stress due to high demand and low supply of water. This pressure is very pronounced in the Middle East and North Africa, where 14 out of 17 countries suffer from the most water stress globally.