Anani inaugurates project to reduce groundwater in Kom Ombo Temple

CAIRO - 25 March 2019: Minister of Antiquities Khalid al-Anani inaugurated on March 25 a project to reduce underground water in Kom Ombo Temple.

The project’s launching was attended by President of the US Agency for Development Mark Green, Director of the US Agency for Development in Egypt Sherry Marlin, Charge d'affaires of the US Embassy in Egypt Thomas Gold Bergo, Governor of Aswan Ahmed Ibrahim, Deputy of Kom Ombo Mohamed Salim, and a number of the project’s officials and employees. The project was funded by a US aid to Egypt that reached $ 8.8 million. The project is one of the most important projects implemented by the US Agency for the conservation of Egyptian Antiquities.

For his part, Anani stated that the US Agency for International Development is an important partner in protecting Egypt’s culture and heritage and preserving the unique heritage owned by all humanity. Anani further explained that the agency participated in 40 projects through funding $10 million over the course of 25 years in several archaeological areas, most importantly in Giza, Edfu Temple and Karnak Temple.

Anani clarified that the US Agency participated in funding the withdrawal of groundwater from the Temple of Kom Ombo and the area of Kom Shakafa in Alexandria, adding that the cost of the project to withdraw groundwater in Kom Ombo alone amounted to $8.8 million. “Over the course of our project, we have been able to find many discoveries which will be exhibited in several museums, most notably the Egyptian Museum,” said Anani.

"The agency is not only working on the project to reduce groundwater, but there are many similar projects held in all governorates by the agency, and our goal is to preserve the heritage and monuments because we know that it is the catalyst for tourism in Egypt,” Sherry Marlin, director of the US Agency for Development in Egypt said.