Cairo, Egypt – 27 October 2026
H.E. Dr. Mohamed Abdel Aty, Regional Advisor for Water Resources at the Centre for Environment and Development for the Arab Region and Europe (CEDARE) and former Egyptian Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation, chaired a session titled “Sustainable Use of Non-Conventional Water” during IWWI 2026, following an invitation from the Ministry of Housing, Utilities and Urban Communities and the Holding Company for Water and Wastewater.
The session brought together Major General Assem Shokr, Vice Chairman of the Holding Company for Water and Wastewater, alongside international experts, water-sector specialists, private-sector representatives, and investors. Discussions focused on the role of seawater desalination, the treatment and reuse of municipal, agricultural, and industrial wastewater, and the treatment and desalination of brackish groundwater in diversifying water supplies and strengthening water security.
Participants also discussed Egypt’s seawater desalination strategy through 2050, highlighting the importance of long-term planning, technological and economic innovation, operational efficiency, and environmental and financial sustainability. The discussions also addressed the role of desalination in supporting urban development and the expansion of new communities.
The session emphasized the importance of cooperation among government entities, international experts, private-sector stakeholders, and investors, alongside the development of sustainable financing, operation, and management models to expand the use of non-conventional water resources and reduce pressure on conventional supplies.
Through its leadership of the session, CEDARE reaffirmed its commitment to promoting regional and international dialogue, facilitating knowledge exchange, and advancing innovative, sustainable solutions to water challenges and sustainable development across the Arab region.
