Cairo water conference opens as Germany proposes Egyptian manufacturing hub

Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly opened the fifth International Water Technology and Sanitation Conference in Cairo on Monday as a German group unveiled a joint manufacturing initiative.

• Madbouly attended the opening of the three-day conference, running October 26–28 at the Egypt International Exhibitions Center in Nasr City.
• Hofmann announced a cooperation plan, the "Water Economy Triangle," pairing German technology, Egyptian industry, and African markets, developed with Egypt's Housing Ministry.
• Hofmann said German exports of water treatment equipment rose 5.6 percent to about 1.37 billion euros in 2025, citing German mechanical engineering industry data.
• Hofmann said Egypt could serve as a gateway for manufacturing German water technology and expanding into African markets.
• Madbouly said Egypt directed investments of about 635 billion Egyptian pounds over 12 years to the drinking water and sanitation sector.
• Madbouly called enhancing water security a strategic priority requiring seawater desalination and reuse of treated wastewater.
• Housing Minister Randa Al-Menshawy said water security requires integrated approaches, maximizing water resources, and reusing wastewater.
• Madbouly toured exhibitor pavilions, inspecting water meter, treatment chemical, and smart grid booths to promote localizing equipment manufacturing.
• Al-Menshawy said the event features 61 national and international companies, noting a regulatory framework established under Law 172 of 2025.
• Al-Menshawy outlined an integrated strategy targeting about 10 million cubic meters per day of seawater desalination capacity by 2050.
• Al-Menshawy said desalination plants rose from 36 in 2014 (84,000 cubic meters daily) to 129 in 2026, with 19 more under construction.
• Al-Menshawy said drinking water loss fell from 31 percent in 2014 to 24.9 percent in 2026, targeting 20 percent by 2030.