Minster of Water Resources and Irrigation Mohamed Abdel Aaty received a phone call from President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi on Saturday with whom the minister reviewed the status of the recent Nile flood. The phone call focused on saving water in the country's waterways, major sub-surface waterways, and canals, especially in light of the tightened circumstances the country faces with the construction of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD). During the conversation, Al-Sisi said modern irrigation techniques must be used in all current and future agricultural projects, and there should be incentives for the least beneficiaries of water usage. He also affirmed the importance of strengthening relations with Nile basin countries and to continuously provide them with support on all levels: popular, governmental, and civil. Abdel Aaty and Al-Sisi discussed the role of awareness campaigns that encourage rational usage of water. Al-Sisi ended the call with the minister after which he assured that the new Assiut barrages and hydroelectric station projects would be completed on time. The president instructed that the ministry rely on its experience in projects to help avoid setbacks and achieve positive end-goals in the new projects. To date, there has been no clear-cut explanation as to how the government will overcome future water crises once the GERD is complete.
