CAIRO: Egypt and Bahrain are looking at a cooperation agreement that will enable both countries to develop water desalination projects between the two countries, Egypt's water resources and irrigation ministry confirmed to Bikya Masr on Tuesday. “We believe that the future water shortages can be greatly curtailed with action on the desalination front,” said Ahmed Hegazy, a spokesman for the Egyptian ministry. He told Bikya Masr that through this potential partnership, “Egypt and Bahrain can act now before the situation becomes worse.” Mohamed bin Ali al-Hodar, Bahrain's point person for water and electricity, was in Cairo earlier this month for discussions on water resources around the region. He met with Egypt's Minister of Water Resources Mohamed Nasr al-Din Allam to discuss cooperation between the two countries on a number of fronts, with desalination taking the lead. The two water officials also discussed potential rationing of water consumption and a mean s of benefiting from rain water storage. The two sides agreed to hold training courses in Egypt and Bahrain on water management. Hegazy said his ministry plans to send an Egyptian delegation in the near future to Bahrain to get acquainted with the Kingdom's expertise in the field of water desalination and subterranean waters. Minister of Housing, Utilities and Urban Development Ahmed el-Maghrabi said that the new urban communities authority has a 6 billion pound plan for investment projects in the current fiscal year. In statements following the meetings, Maghrabi said under the plan developmental and service projects will be carried out to serve residents of new cities. BM
