The workshop was organised within the framework of the development of the ‘Enabling Delta Life Initiative’, a joint Global Program of Action on Deltas of Delta Alliance and the Global Water Partnership. Its main purpose was to identify elements of a program of action that can strategically complement and add value to on-going activities in the Nile delta. The individual country level pilot projects will form an important component of the Global Delta Governance Program of the GWP. The objectives of the workshop were to:

• Articulate the key objectives and outcomes for the country-level pilot activity
• Identify key partnerships (government agencies, local universities, etc.).

H.E. Dr. Mohamed Bahaa ElDin, Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation, H.E. Dr. Abd ElKawy Khalifa, Minister of Potable Water & Sanitary Drainage and Dr Ibrahim El Shinnawy, on behalf of the Egypt Wing of the Delta Alliance, gave opening speeches which were followed by key note addresses by specialists on issues such as sea water intrusion in coastal groundwater, natural and man-made systems for coastal protection, solid waste disposal in waterways, and the national climate change adaptation strategy. During the afternoons the participants broke up in working groups and they reported back on their findings during the plenary session at the end of the afternoon. The workshop was very well organised and resulted in lively debates among the participants.

Lively debates in the afternoon Working Group discussions

Being one of the world’s most influential Deltas, the Nile Delta has its specific challenges and vulnerabilities. Building Climate Resilience involves development of innovative solutions for the challenges faced by the Egyptian water sector. Aside from the increasing need for water in the entire Nile Basin, different sectors are competing for water in Egypt. Thus, promoting integrated water resources management through coordinated efforts of various water stakeholders is vital, with the aim of maximizing the benefit from water; economically and socially without compromising the sustainability of water and its quality. The discussions during the Workshop pointed at a very important “niche” in building climate resilience in Egypt. Much work has been done already at regional and national level, but a lot of attention is still required for: “how the farming community can deal with future water shortage”.

The outputs of the workshop will be transformed in a concrete project proposal for pilot activities in Egypt. Proposal preparation will be coordinated by Dr. Khaled Abu Zeid in his capacity as country GWP representative, in close cooperation with Dr Mohamed Abdel Motaleb, the Head of the Egypt Wing of the Delta Alliance. The various country project proposals will be integrated into the Global Program of Action for the Enabling Delta Life Initiative of which a first version will be presented at the Stockholm World Water Week on 1 September 2013.

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