Water woes AT A SEMINAR organised by the Egyptian National Competitiveness Council and the Egyptian Junior Business Association (EJBA) last week, Minister of Irrigation and Water Resources Nasr Allam said that Egypt's share of River Nile water is 55.5 billion cubic metres, in addition to unstable rain and non-renewable underground water. Allam added that Egypt should maximise its water resources to keep pace with expected increases in population numbers, estimated to reach 160 million by the year 2050. Allam revealed that the Ministry of Irrigation has established a plan for improving the use of water resources through 2017. The plan includes policies that aim at protecting water from pollution, rationalising its uses, and using existing water resources in a more efficient way. Allam also pointed out that shortages in water have reached 30 per cent of capacity: "The water situation will be very critical if we don't start dealing with it," Allam said. Meanwhile, declining water resource availability will impact crop revenues and the expansion of inhabited areas. Amin Abaza, Egyptian minister of agriculture, said that the government is working on improving irrigation systems and developing ways of better using water in agriculture, given that the sector is the largest consumer of water. "Maximising incomes and revenues from every water unit is necessary for the continuity of agriculture," Abaza said. Abaza underlined the importance of using modern technology to change inherited customs and traditions that are no longer suitable. At the same time, he said, change will not be easy. "We are talking about an agricultural system that existed long ago." Abaza said there is no intention to introduce water taxation. Hassan El-Khateeb, chairman of EJBA, underlined the importance of focussing on water use in the Lower Delta region, which consumes 85 per cent of Egypt's water resources. Doubling exports A NATIONAL strategy to double Egyptian exports in the next four years (2010-2013) was unveiled earlier this week. The strategy, promising the creation of 400,000 new jobs and the training of 600,000 workers, was announced Sunday by Adham Nadim, executive director of the Industrial Modernisation Centre (IMC), in a joint press conference with European Union Ambassador in Cairo Marc Franco. The strategy, according to Nadim, promises to direct some LE70 billion towards industrial investments and assisting 1,000 new exporters to enter the market. The IMC provides services to 15,000 industrial facilities distributed throughout the country, Nadim said. He also reviewed during the press conference, programmes offered by the centre, including initiatives for the development of human resources, research and innovation, technology transfer, information systems, finance systems, quality systems, grants for the application of alternative energy technologies and energy conservation, holding exhibitions for the promotion of Egyptian products and the creation of investment funds to support and fund small and medium enterprises. Franco praised the progress achieved by the IMC, which he considered the largest development programme presented by member states of the EU to a non-member country.
