The European Union (EU) Ambassador to Cairo, Christian Berger, shared his updates during a press conference held on Thursday, marking the end of “Cairo Water Week”.
The event was attended by Dr. Ayman Ayad, Head of the Water Sector at the European Commission, and the team from the Water and Environment Support project funded by the European Union.
The Ambassador underscored the critical importance of water for Egypt and the broader Middle East region, an area grappling with water scarcity. He highlighted the EU’s role in attracting investments to overcome these challenges, stating, “We have mobilized investments to address these difficulties.”
Berger pointed out the EU’s investment of €550 million in Egypt’s water sector, resulting in the creation of 650,000 job opportunities and benefiting 20 million residents.
He expressed his belief in the potential for increasing European investments in Egypt, adding, “We believe in the possibility of escalating European investments in Egypt.”
Looking ahead, Berger expressed a desire to bring together entrepreneurs from Europe and Egypt next year, aiming to leverage this assembly for the benefit of the private sector.
Discussing the production of green hydrogen, the Ambassador noted a strong emphasis on establishing the infrastructure necessary for green hydrogen production in Egypt, with a particular focus on renewable energy.
He affirmed, “Egypt is taking a leading position in establishing a new and innovative framework in the field of renewable energy.”
Addressing the situation in Gaza, Berger clarified that the EU is supporting Gaza in various sectors, including water. He identified the main challenge in water provision as the lack of energy availability and categorically denied any intentions to displace civilians from Gaza.
This successful event underscores the EU’s commitment to addressing water scarcity in the region and fostering international cooperation and investment to ensure sustainable water management and access.
