Gobran Mohamed

CAIRO: Water resources are a priority subject at COP27, said the head of the EU delegation in Cairo as Egypt prepared to host the UN Climate Change Conference in Sharm El-Sheikh next month.

Christian Berger’s comments came during his visit to Cairo Water Week, where experts discussed the effects of climate change on an essential natural resource.

Berger noted that the subject was of “great importance” and should always be at the center of climate action. He pointed out that the EU was working in cooperation with Egypt’s Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation to organize the “very important and successful” event to control and manage water resources, not only in Egypt but in Africa and the north of the continent.

He also focused on areas that suffered from water scarcity.

“The UN will organize at the end of this year a water conference, to be held for the first time since 2007. It will be dedicated to water and its problems,” he added.

It will be attended by experts from around the world and Africa in particular, as well as government officials and representatives from banks, the private sector, and financial institutions, he said.

Berger reviewed cooperation with Egypt in the water sector, and noted that it extended to the areas of re-drilling, maintenance of waterways, and the strengthening of water distribution systems.

He said the EU funded Egypt’s water projects in the form of grants estimated at 500 million euros ($489 million), in addition to 300 million euros in loans from European financial institutions such as the European Investment Bank.

In September, the UN Development Program, the EU, the Danish and Swiss embassies, and the African Climate Foundation signed a $6.2 million project to support Egypt’s presidency of the COP27 in Sharm El-Sheikh.