Egypt’s Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation Mohamed Abdel Aty has urged state institutions run by his ministry to monitor and stop any encroachment on water canals and irrigation properties.
His orders came as Egypt is locked in a dispute with Ethiopia over its giant hydropower dam on the Blue Nile.
Egypt and Sudan are calling for a legally binding agreement on the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam’s (GERD) filling and operation but Addis Ababa rejects to commit to such a deal.
Congolese President and current chair of the African Union Felix Tshisekedi has concluded an African tour aimed at resolving the dispute.
Aty said Friday that his order aims to ensure that all Egyptian provinces get their water needs.
Spokesman for the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation Mohamed Ghanem stated that in the past years, the Ministry has succeeded to a great extent in facing the encroachments on the Nile River.
Ghanem said a total of 62,000 encroachments have been removed so far.
Media advisor to the Ministry of Agriculture Ahmed Ibrahim told the Middle East News Agency that it is highly important to update the irrigation system.
This falls under the Egyptian efforts to optimize its water resources.
Egypt is concerned over the impact of GERD on its water share, 55.5 billion cubic meters.
