Fostering reforms in the Egyptian renewable energy and water sectors through developing capacity building EU water sector technical assistance and reforms support (EU water STARS)

Project details
Country: 
Egypt
Beneficiary: 
EU Delegation to the Arab Republic of Egypt
Donor organisation: 
European Commission (EC)
Associated enterprises: 
EAP for Consultancy and Training
Hulla & Co Human Dynamics
IP Consult
NIRAS Poland (lead)
Department: 
Water
Project volume: 
4,600,000 €
Currency: 
€
Value of services: 
739,650 €
Start of project: 
February, 2018
End of project: 
May, 2022
Project description: 

Egypt's water requirements are increasing as a consequence of the growing population, improvement of living standards, as well as expansion of agricultural land to ensure food security. Egypt's population increased from 66 million in 2002 to 90 million in 2016 and is expected to reach 98 million in 2020. This rapid population growth coupled with ambitious development and industrialisation policies have put heavy pressure on Egypt's natural resources in the form of severe air, water and soil pollution.

The government of Egypt is committed to develop and manage its water resources in the interests of all Egyptians. Egypt's main source of freshwater is the Nile River. The river supplies 55.5 billion m3 of freshwater every year which represents 97% of all renewable water resources in Egypt.

The direct beneficiaries are the Egyptian Authorities, primarily the MWRI (Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation) and its affiliates. The key stakeholders will include the participating ministries within the SCNRP (Supreme Council for Nile River Protection), line ministries and government agencies, responsible for environmental and water management (MWRI, Ministry of Housing Utilities and Urban Communities (MHUUC), Ministry of Agriculture and Land Reclamation (MALR), Ministry of Environment (MoE), Ministry of Health and Population (MHP), and Ministry of Local development (MoLD)). This will include their executive and technical bodies at governorate level. Local governments, local communities, Water User Associations (WUA), and Governorate Water Resources Councils (GWRC) will be engaged under the appropriate project components.

Other organisations such as: the Private Public Partnership Unit at the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Investments, the Ministry of Planning and Administrative Reform, the Ministry of Education and Universities as well as the Ministry of Environment. The project will certainly sustain and build on the close ties and links created in the past between the government on one side and the private sector and non-governmental organizations on the other. WUA will certainly benefit from the policy dialogue platform created in the framework of the present initiative.

Service description: 

The project will be organised around 5 main components:

Component A: Contribution to an enabling institutional and financial environment

  • Task A1 - Support the dissemination of Governorate water resources plans
  • Task A2 - Support institutional and financial reform in the sector

Component B: Modernisation of the water management framework

  • Task B1 - Support the implementation of a Water Accounting Unit (WAU)
  • Task B2 - Support the ongoing operations of the WAU
  • Task B3 - Improve water quality/quantity monitoring and assessment
  • Task B4 - Reinforcing the inter-ministerial Coordination Platform (SCNRP)

Component C: Capacity development for the relevant institutions

  • Task C1 - Create and implement the National Water Capacity Building Programme
  • Task C2 - Carry out capacity building measures on the field/local levels

Component D: Developing communication and information plans for public awareness

  • Task D1 - Develop and implement the awareness campaign
  • Task D2 - Piloting targeted campaign in shopping malls, young users, trainers in the schools and NGOs

Component E: Preparing technical studies for integrated water resources management

  • Task E1 - Capacity development for MWRI specialists in Egypt and their peers in neighbouring countries
  • Task E2 - Assist MWRI in organising and implementing public awareness activities related to programme implementation
Objectives: 

The overall objective is the support of the ongoing reform process of the water sector through assisting the country to achieve its National Water Resources Plan 2017-2037 (NWRP-2017-2037) targets, and Egypt overall sustainable development plan 2030 (SDP 2030) . While developing local participatory approaches and income generating activities at local level.

The specific objective is to contribute to improve the management and the use of water resources by improving operational efficiencies of concerned stakeholders and beneficiaries.

The project will focus on institutional strengthening, inter-sectoral dialogue, capacity building, and public awareness raising while promoting multi-stakeholder engagement and participation. The project will contribute to a better governance of the water sector; improved organisation and performance of the sector; decentralisation of water management; advances towards participative management through users and stakeholders involvement.

Currency: 
€