Sunday 23 Feb
Dr. Hani Sewilam, Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation, held a meeting to follow up on two key issues: the removal of encroachments on the Nile River and its branches, and the current status of receiving riverbank lands from the General Authority for Reconstruction Projects. This initiative aligns with the Water Resources and Irrigation Law No. 147 of 2021 and its executive regulations, issued by Prime Minister’s Decree No. 81 of 2023.
During the 24th phase of Nile River encroachment removals, 500 cases were cleared. A comprehensive, proactive plan will be developed to prevent future encroachments. Surveys of riverbank lands are complete in Dakahlia Governorate and will continue in Aswan, Luxor, Minya, and Beni Suef. The Ministries of Irrigation and Agriculture are coordinating to finalize the handover of all riverbank lands.
Since 2015, approximately 87,000
Nile River encroachments have been removed as part of the "Save the Nile
Campaign," through coordinated efforts with the Ministry of Interior and
governorates. The 24th removal phase recently concluded, clearing 500
encroachments covering over 68,000 square meters.
Dr. Sewilam instructed the Nile
River Protection Sector to develop a comprehensive, proactive plan to address
encroachments at an early stage, preventing their escalation. This plan will
include careful technical and legal review of all cases. He also reviewed the
progress of the committee responsible for receiving riverbank land documents,
survey maps (with approved coordinates), and inventory lists of any squatters.
A subcommittee, including representatives from the River Nile Protection Sector, the Survey Authority, and the Reconstruction Authority, has been surveying all riverbank lands under the Ministry's control across the 16 Nile governorates. The survey is complete in Dakahlia Governorate and is currently underway in Aswan, Luxor, Minya, and Beni Suef. Dr. Sewilam directed the continued surveying according to schedule and called for expedited handover procedures for all riverbank lands from the Ministry of Agriculture.
