Egypt explores water projects with Somalia
Egypt is in talks with Somalia on water management aid for the drought-stricken country as Cairo builds up its influence in the Horn of Africa.
Egypt hosted a Somali delegation led by Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation Said Hussein at Cairo Water Week, an annual event to discuss policies for water-scarce nations on water management and strategic planning.
Hussein held talks Oct. 25 with Egyptian Minister of Irrigation and Water Resources Mohamed Abdel-Ati to discuss water cooperation between Egypt and Somalia including Egyptian support for Somalia to build dams and develop irrigation systems in the Horn of Africa country, which is ravaged by drought.
Hussein said Somalia was looking forward to enrolling more Somalis in the training courses organized by Egypt’s Regional Training Center for Water Resources and Irrigation and the National Water Research Center.
Somalia is one of the worst affected countries by climate change, with erratic rainfall, extreme temperature and prolonged droughts. The country’s average temperatures are some of the hottest in the world, interrupted by brief rainy seasons. The Somali economy is predominantly agricultural.
