AMMAN, Jordan (MNTV) — Egypt’s minister of water resources and irrigation, Hany Swailem, urged Arab nations to strengthen regional cooperation to address mounting water challenges, warning that scarcity is reaching critical levels across the region.
Speaking at the opening session of the Seventh Arab Water Week in Amman, Swailem highlighted that 21 Arab countries depend on shared surface or groundwater resources, making collaboration under international law essential.
He cautioned that unilateral actions, such as Ethiopia’s dam operations, threaten regional stability and access to water.
Swailem noted that over 90 percent of the Arab population now faces severe water scarcity, a crisis deepened by climate change, population growth, and extreme weather patterns.
To cope, several states have increased investment in the water sector and developed strategies aimed at narrowing the widening gap between supply and demand.
The minister called for adopting a comprehensive “Water-Energy-Food-Environment Nexus” approach, framing it as a strategic tool to improve resource management and advance progress toward the UN Sustainable Development Goals.