Egypt commits to funding Nile water projects in Uganda following Cairo talks

Egypt has pledged to finance and help mobilize funding for critical water infrastructure projects in Uganda’s Nile basin through the Nile Development Fund, following the third round of “2+2” ministerial consultations held in Cairo. The talks on 2 April 2026 brought together Egypt’s Dr. Badr Abdelatty, Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation, and Egyptian Expatriates, and Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation Hani Sewilam, with Uganda’s Okello Henry Oryem, Minister of State for International Affairs, and Beatrice Atim Anywar, Minister of State for Water.

“Our objective remains to achieve mutual benefit and win-win cooperation while adhering firmly to the obligation not to cause significant harm,” the Egyptian side said in the joint communiqué released after the meetings.

Details from the Cairo talks

• The third round of 2+2 consultations addressed regional security, economic cooperation and integrated water resource management, with a specific pledge to channel support through the Nile Development Fund to projects in Uganda’s Nile basin.
• Officials agreed to accelerate technical cooperation on integrated water resources management, building on a memorandum of understanding signed in August 2025 and the outcomes of a Joint Steering Committee meeting held on 30 March 2026 aimed at supporting sustainable development in Uganda.
• The ministers welcomed a progress report from the Nile Basin Initiative (NBI) Special Committee, which was established to engage member states that have not yet ratified the Cooperative Framework Agreement (CFA), and emphasised sustained engagement to promote consensus and inclusivity among Nile basin states.
• Economic collaboration across sectors was highlighted, with officials discussing concrete actions in agriculture, livestock, petrochemicals, mining, pharmaceuticals and medical supplies, and urging private sectors in both countries to expand bilateral trade and investment following the outcomes of the 2025 Egypt‑Uganda Business Forum.
• Cooperation channels identified include the Egyptian Agency for Partnership for Development, the Cairo International Center for Conflict Resolution, Peacekeeping and Peacebuilding, and a range of diplomatic and defence colleges.

Outlook and next steps

The communiqué set out a clear timetable for follow-up engagements: the third session of the Egypt‑Uganda Joint Ministerial Commission will take place in Kampala in August 2026, and the fourth round of 2+2 consultations is scheduled to be held in Uganda later in the year. The officials emphasised that the financing commitment through the Nile Development Fund aims to underpin sustainable development projects in Uganda while maintaining the principle of not causing significant harm to other basin states.

Alongside water infrastructure financing, the talks reinforced a broader bilateral push to translate diplomatic agreements into implementable programmes and to link security, development and economic cooperation across the Nile basin. The inclusion of the NBI Special Committee’s progress report signals an ongoing diplomatic effort to broaden engagement among Nile riparian states around the CFA and basin governance.