Africa Pushes Water Funding as Egypt Warns Nile Supplies 98% of Its Needs

Africa Pushes Water Funding as Egypt Warns Nile Supplies 98% of Its Needs

African Development Bank launches 2026-2030 water strategy at Cairo Water Week as Egypt highlights reliance on shared river basins.

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The African Development Bank Group (AfDB) has launched its 2026-2030 African Water Facility Strategy, calling on African countries to increase their financial contributions to water and sanitation projects and urging private investors to take a greater role in financing them [1]. The strategy was unveiled at Cairo Water Week, where Egypt's Irrigation Minister Hani Sewilam said the Nile River supplies about 98 percent of Egypt's water [1][4].

Sewilam also told the Cairo Water Week session on the Africa Water Vision 2063 that around 90 percent of Africa's surface water lies within shared international basins, and that these shared waters require strict adherence to international water law, data sharing, and prior consultation on transboundary projects [4]. The AfDB's new strategy urges countries across the continent to boost their own funding for water and sanitation and to bring in private investors to help finance the projects [1].

Sources

Africa’s water crisis: AfDB launches 2026-2030 strategy, urges funding. #276655Nile River supplies 98 percent of Egypt's water, minister says #273654

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