The Ambassador of Uzbekistan in Cairo, Mansurbek Kilichev, stated his country’s interest in strengthening dialogue with Egypt on water resource matters. The parties plan to form a joint working group to exchange experience in the water sector. This was reported by MENA, a partner of TV BRICS.
The diplomat noted that Egypt and Uzbekistan face common challenges, including the consequences of climate change and the need to ensure food security. He emphasised that cooperation in irrigation management and water desalination would be fruitful.
Tashkent is ready to exchange water-saving technologies and adopt Egyptian practices for modernising irrigation.
The President of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, put forward an initiative to address water security issues, which received broad support from countries in the region. According to the “Uzbekistan-2030” strategy, the implementation of rational water-use technologies on all irrigated lands is a priority for the country.
In Uzbekistan, approximately US$275 million was allocated for the implementation of water-saving technologies in 2026. It is planned that by 2028, the total land area using such technologies will reach 3.5 million hectares, accounting for approximately 80 per cent of all irrigated lands.
Water-use tax rates will depend on water availability. From 2027, the tax will double for those who do not apply water-saving technologies despite a stable water supply. Starting from the current month, the use of traditional irrigation methods on lands where new technologies have already been introduced will be considered illegal and will incur fines. By 2028, it is planned to implement drip irrigation on 220,000 hectares, sprinkler irrigation on 110,000 hectares, and laser land levelling (for irrigation efficiency) on 600,000 hectares.
According to a report distributed by the Embassy of Uzbekistan in Cairo, the implementation of modern irrigation technologies is the optimal solution for increasing water-use efficiency in agriculture. These technologies not only contribute to water saving but also reduce costs for fertilisers, fuel, and labour, while simultaneously increasing agricultural productivity.