For water security in arid regions

18 October 2020 - World Water Council President Fauchon delivered remarks during the Opening ceremony of the Cairo Water Week 2020, one of the major events on the international water agenda.

Under the auspices of President of Egypt Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, the third edition of the Cairo Water Week focusing on water security in arid regions was opened by Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly and the Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation, Mohamed Abdel-Aty. 

In his opening remarks World Water Council President pointed out that “Nearly two billion people, living mainly at the crossroads of Africa, the Middle East and the Indo-Pakistani subcontinent are concerned and that their scarce water resources must be increased in the future to cope with the combined effects of climate change and population growth.”

Water security requires awareness, responsibility, and action to be taken at both collective and individual level. On one side, combination of traditional methods consisting of capturing water in wells, boreholes, lakes, and rivers, with innovative ones, such environmentally sensitive desalination and wastewater reuse are key. On the other side, President Fauchon added that “a major change in our behavior: to sustainably reduce our consumption, both agricultural and domestic” was inevitable.

President Fauchon also reiterated the availability and readiness of the World Water Council, and its 400 members, to assist parties involved in existing tensions arising from construction of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam to dialogue and find an agreement acceptable to all. 

The Cairo Water Week, organized by the Egyptian Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation in collaboration with other partners, took place from 18 to 22 October 2020. It was also a valuable milestone on the Road to Dakar, where the next World Water Forum would be held. In this respect, a special virtual session on the 9th World Water Forum was held on October 20. Speakers participating in the Forum’s preparatory process provided information on its structure as well as on the progress that has been achieved so far around four main priorities – Water Security and Sanitation, Rural Development, Cooperation and Means and Tools. 

Read the speech delivered by Loïc Fauchon - English version
Read the speech delivered by Loïc Fauchon - French version