Egypt ready to fund Nile Basin water infrastructure in Uganda: FM

CAIRO – 1 April 2026: Egypt is ready to fund and mobilize financing for water-related infrastructure projects in the Nile Basin in Uganda through the relevant Egyptian financing mechanism, read a joint communique by the two countries on Wednesday.

These efforts aim to advance mutual interests, while adhering to the principle of avoiding significant harm among basin countries, according to the communique.

The remarks came during the third round of the 2+2 ministerial consultations, held in Cairo on Wednesday, involving Minister of Foreign Affairs Badr Abdelatty, Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation Hani Sewilam, Uganda’s Minister of State for International Affairs Okello Henry Oryem and Minister of State for Water Beatrice Atim Anywar.

The consultations were held under the directives of President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni to sustain ministerial-level engagement between the two countries, which share ties through the Nile River.

The two sides welcomed a progress report prepared by a special committee of the Nile Basin Initiative tasked with engaging member states that have not signed the framework agreement.

They reaffirmed their commitment to consultations aimed at enhancing consensus, inclusivity and cooperation based on mutual benefit among Nile Basin countries.

 

Boosting Bilateral Ties

Talks reviewed bilateral relations and regional, continental and international developments, with both sides emphasizing the need to advance shared interests and broader African priorities.

They also discussed the situation in the Horn of Africa, the Red Sea and the Great Lakes region, exchanging views on restoring peace and stability, while reaffirming their commitment to the principles of sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence in line with the charters of the African Union and the United Nations.

The two sides explored ways to activate the outcomes of Museveni’s visit to Egypt in August 2025 by identifying specific projects based on existing agreements and memorandums of understanding in various fields.

These include integrated water resource management, diplomacy, counterterrorism, agriculture, livestock, petrochemicals, mining, and pharmaceuticals.

They agreed on a number of steps to deepen cooperation, including supporting regional economic development and integration, encouraging private sector engagement building on the Egypt-Uganda business forum held in August, and increasing trade and investment exchanges.

The two countries also agreed to hold the fourth round of the 2+2 ministerial consultations in Uganda in the final quarter of 2026, as well as convene the third session of the joint ministerial committee in the capital, Kampala, in August 2026.