Dakar: SiltaNews – News Desk
Egypt has called for strengthening global water governance principles and enhancing regional cooperation to build resilience in the face of mounting water and climate challenges. Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation Hani Sewilam made the remarks days ahead of the 2026 UN Water Conference, co-hosted by the United Arab Emirates and Senegal and scheduled to take place in the UAE from 2-4 December.
Sewilam was addressing a participatory session held as part of the High-Level Preparatory Meeting for the 2026 UN Water Conference in Senegal. The minister stressed at the outset that water is the lifeblood of humanity, noting that key issues under the theme “Water for the Planet,” including climate change, biodiversity, desertification, environmental protection, and disaster risk reduction, are deeply interconnected and constitute fundamental pillars for human survival and the sustainability of societies.
He reviewed the main technical themes of the third interactive dialogue on water, particularly the conservation of global freshwater systems, which have been subjected to prolonged depletion due to human activities. The minister also underscored the need to elevate global water governance principles, strengthen regional cooperation to enhance resilience to water and climate challenges, and support the UN-Water mechanism to move beyond coordination toward a comprehensive mandate across the UN system, enabling more integrated and effective action.