Egypt invites 119 countries to 9th Cairo Water Week; Shared water resources on agenda

CAIRO – 23 August 2026: Egypt has invited 119 countries to participate in the ninth Cairo Water Week in October, which will include discussions on managing shared water resources under international water law.

Egypt is preparing to host CWW 2026 from October 25 to 29, 2026, under the theme “Water as a Catalyst for: Peace, Shared Prosperity, and a Sustainable Planet,” under the patronage of President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi.

Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation Hani Sewilam said CWW has become an important international platform for dialogue and the exchange of expertise on water issues, according to a statement by the ministry.

He noted the growing international participation each year, including ministers, senior officials, decision-makers, experts and representatives of regional and international organizations.

Around 80 invitations were sent to heads of international and regional organizations and public figures, while 133 invitations were extended to ministers and senior officials from 119 countries, the ministry said.

Confirmations have been received from ministers, deputy ministers and heads of delegations from around the world, with arrangements for the remaining invitations ongoing.

Five Key Themes

The week will feature five main themes prepared by its scientific committee with the participation of academics, experts and researchers from Egyptian and international universities and research centers.

The themes include managing shared water resources under international water law to promote regional peace and stability; securing agricultural and food systems through water desalination and wastewater treatment; and strengthening climate resilience through sustainable management of water resources and coastal areas.

Discussions will also cover harnessing artificial intelligence and digital transformation to sustain water resources; and addressing water challenges through technical tools, community frameworks, financing and national water governance.

International and regional organizations will also participate in organizing technical and scientific sessions and sponsoring competitions.

Registration for sessions opened on May 15 and is scheduled to close in early September. A total of 59 sessions were registered so far by international organizations and entities affiliated with the ministry.

For the scientific conference, the scientific committee received 122 research abstracts across the five themes. Of these, 104 were accepted following the initial evaluation, while 40 expanded abstracts and 26 full research papers advanced to the second stage of evaluation.

Efforts are also underway to obtain an International Standard Serial Number (ISSN) for the conference publications, while cooperation with Water Policy journal is being pursued to publish selected research papers.

The week’s competitions, which target young people, researchers and innovators, have also seen growing participation.

Several international and regional events will be held alongside CWW, notably the 7th Arab Water Conference on October 26 and 27 under the theme “Water in the Arab Region: Partnerships for Peace and Sustainable Development.”

The event will also host a meeting of the Arab ministerial council for water, strengthening Arab dialogue on water and sustainable development issues.

The International Water, Waste and Infrastructure (IWWI 2026) exhibition and conference will also be held from October 26 to 28 after a cooperation protocol was signed to integrate it into the week’s activities.

This integration will provide a platform for showcasing the latest technologies and solutions and expanding cooperation among government entities, the private sector and regional and international institutions.

Cooperation will also extend to the Sahara International Agricultural Exhibition and Aqua Energy Expo, strengthening links between water, agriculture, energy and food security.

Organizers have also completed arrangements for the accompanying exhibition, with companies and institutions operating in the water, infrastructure and energy sectors already submitting requests to reserve exhibition space.

The event’s digital registration platform has been upgraded to accommodate scientific committee applications and competitions while allowing for future additions, with improvements to ease of use and cybersecurity.

A mobile application is also being developed and linked to the new platform, along with an application for tracking session attendance.