Egypt: Irrigation Innovations in the Nile Delta

Egypt depends almost exclusively on the Nile River for its water supply. Of this, 85 percent is used for irrigation. As with the rest of the world, the country’s water demands are ever growing. For Egypt, the solution lies in making better use of the Nile’s existing flows. To do so, the most viable solution is to make the current irrigation system more efficient––while being responsive to farmers’ needs.

In order to address the country’s growing water demands, Egypt has adopted innovate approaches to make better use of the Nile’s existing flows.

In collaboration with the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation (MWRI), the World Bank, the German aid agency, KfW, and the government of the Netherlands developed the Integrated Irrigation Infrastructure Management Project (IIIMP). The strength of the new approach is that its engineering and institutional innovations complement and reinforce each other. Involving farmer groupings in the management of the new pumping and water control systems means that water gets to the right field at the right time, thus boosting crop yields and farmers’ incomes.

Source: The World Bank, 8 May 2010

HM The King Enquires about Oujda Liquid Sanitation Program

 HM King Mohammed VI asks about the progress of the Oujda liquid sanitation priority program, with a cost of 550 million dirhams (about $ 63 million), and inaugurated a rainwater drainage system to protect the southern sector of the city against floods.

This ambitious program provides for equipping with sanitation facilities outlying and under-equipped neighborhoods as well as upgrading and expanding the sanitation network through the setting up of two wastewater pumping stations and renewal of two collectors.

The program includes the implementation of the first phase of the construction works to protect the southern sector of the city against floods, worth 178 millions dirhams. During the first phase a rainwater drainage system, strengthening the main collector will be built together with eight storm water detention pond.

Source: Agence Maghreb Arabe Presse, 11 May 2010

Morocco, Tunisia Seal Several Cooperation Agreements

Morocco and Tunisia signed,  several cooperation agreements at the closing ceremony of the 16th Moroccan-Tunisian joint committee.

The 12 agreements covered the sectors of drinking water, renewable energies, environment, building and public works, as well as the parliamentary and religious fields.

Morocco’s Prime Minister Abbas El Fassi and his Tunisian peer Mohammed Ghannouchi, who co-chaired the closing ceremony, expressed their satisfaction at the positive results of this meeting.

Both officials also voiced their common will to implement the signed agreements and iron out the difficulties hindering the achievement of the fixed goals, as part of their bilateral cooperation and partnership.

Source: Agence Maghreb Arabe Press, 7 May 2010

Saudi Natl Water launched water and wastewater projects

Saudi Arabia’s state-owned National Water Co. or NWC, launched water and wastewater projects during the last two years at a  cost of 10 billion Saudi riyals ($2.67 billion), Jeddah-based Okaz daily reports Saturday, citing an official.

Turkish, Korean, and United Arab Emirates companies, as well as local contractors are engaged in projects in this sector across the kingdom and NWC is cooperating with them to set up a plan to accelerate the implementation of these projects, Loay Mussalam, the company’s chief executive.

The daily says that the Saudi government has allocated SAR8 billion in the public budget for wastewater projects in Jeddah. Newspaper Web site: 

Source: Zawya, 17 Apr 2010

Contact:  Zawya Dow Jones ; Tel:+961-1-985 757.