Dr. Sayed Ismail, Deputy Minister of Housing, participated in the fourth meeting of the Steering Committee for the Drinking Water Management Program in Aswan Governorate – Phase Two via video conference. The meeting was chaired by Major General Ismail Mohamed Kamal, Governor of Aswan, and attended by Dr. Andreas Baum, the Swiss Ambassador, and representatives from the Swiss Agency for International Development and the Holding Company for Drinking Water. The meeting aimed to monitor the program’s progress, which reflects the state’s commitment to improving water infrastructure in the most underserved areas, in line with Egypt’s Vision 2030 and the Sustainable Development Goals.
During the meeting, a program funded by the Swiss Agency for International Development was reviewed, which includes three main components:
- Technical Support: This component covers operational and maintenance support, equipping a laboratory at the “Ferial” drinking water station, developing a system for testing technicians’ efficiency, and supporting the commercial and financial sectors in unaccounted-for water and energy conservation.
- Infrastructure Projects: The program includes the installation of main pipelines for the Seil and Ezbet Kiman networks, as well as the renovation and replacement of the drinking water network in the Seil and Bahari areas, covering a total length of 30 km, with the addition of the new regions to expand services.
- Awareness and Community Participation: This aspect focuses on water conservation, environmental protection, public hygiene, and health, as well as educating the public on meter readings, billing processes, and the importance of maintaining infrastructure investments.
During the meeting, the Governor of Aswan expressed his appreciation for the cooperation between the Ministry of Housing and the Swiss Agency for Development, emphasizing the importance of adhering to work plans and accelerating implementation using modern technologies to enhance efficiency and sustainability. The discussions also highlighted the need to address water loss issues and improve operation and maintenance processes.
After the meeting, the Deputy Minister of Housing reaffirmed the ministry’s support for the Swiss Agency in assisting the Aswan Governorate to achieve the program’s intended goals.