Press Release on National Efforts to Realize the Right to Water
The SSCHR Technical Secretariat (TS) issues a report on State efforts to promote the right to water on the occasion of World Water Day.
Within the framework of celebrating the World Water Day on March 22 of each year, SSCHR issued a report on this occasion discussing the most important national efforts to implement the right to water. The report confirms that the Egyptian State gives the issue of water a top priority; an issue of existential nature that is related to the life and survival of the Egyptian people. The report shows that the priority that Egypt gives to water issues is reflected in the sustainable development strategy "Egypt Vision 2030" and in the "National Water Resources Plan” (NWRP2037), with investments exceeding 900 billion Egyptian pounds. The report also reviews State efforts to provide clean drinking water and sanitation services, especially with regard to improving, extending and expanding related services in disadvantaged areas; improving operational systems and raising the efficiency of drinking water and sanitation companies to rationalize the use of currently available resources; in addition to developing new water resources. The report explains that these intensive efforts come in light of the scarcity of water resources. The per capita share of water in Egypt does not exceed 560 m3 annually; while the United Nations defined water poverty as 1,000 m3 per capita annually. Egypt is also one of the driest countries and the highest in the world in terms of depending on only one source of water, the Nile River, which provides 98% of Egypt's water needs.
The report also reviews the pivotal role of Egypt in advancing the water agenda in the United Nations and multilateral forums. Egypt’s role aims to emphasize the need to uphold the principles of international cooperation and solidarity and to avoid rivalry and polarization when dealing with major challenges in the issues of water. Egypt has always stressed the need to adhere to the relevant principles of international law, foremost of which is the no harm rule to the water uses of countries bordering international rivers, as well as the principle of prior notification and consultation.
The report sheds light on the efforts of Egyptian diplomacy over the past period, coinciding with the convening of the United Nations high-level meeting on water on March 18, 2021; aiming to form a nucleus group that included 17 countries representing different geographical regions at the United Nations to formulate a cross-regional statement that lays out a clear international vision on water issues. The statement - which has been signed to date by more than 164 countries - presents a unified vision for international multilateral action in the field of water. This comes after the international action has long suffered from dispersion and great divergence of visions in light of the high sensitivity of water issues at the regional and international levels. The statement focuses on the water scarcity crisis and its profound impact on water scarce countries and the need to take urgent measures to support these countries. The statement addresses the inevitability of cross-border cooperation in connection with waterways; the need for political will to achieve this cooperation; and the implementation of mediation efforts and effective water negotiations to avoid conflicts and achieve regional stability.