KAMPALA, UGANDA | Xinhua | Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni and his visiting Egyptian counterpart Abdel Fattah El-Sisi on Wednesday discussed the usage of the River Nile waters, trade, and regional security.
According to a statement issued by the State House, Museveni said environmental degradation, particularly the encroachment on wetlands, is one of the challenges affecting the Nile Basin, noting that many people invade wetlands in search of land for agriculture due to population pressure and limited economic opportunities.
The Ugandan leader proposed large-scale fish farming projects as part of the solution, saying aquaculture would create jobs, protect wetlands, and increase export earnings.
The Egyptian president said his country would work with Uganda to establish modern fish farming projects and mobilize Egyptian investors to invest in the country’s aquaculture sector.
In the Nile Basin, El-Sisi said that Egypt faces severe water scarcity, with per capita water availability having dropped below 500 cubic meters annually.
He said Egypt remains committed to dialogue and cooperation with Nile Basin countries and stressed the need for sustainable and equitable utilization of shared water resources.
The two leaders also called for continued dialogue and peaceful solutions to conflicts, citing the prolonged instability in Libya, the conflict in Palestine, and tensions involving Iran.
“Additionally, the two leaders discussed peace and security in Sudan, South Sudan, Somalia, the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, and the Horn of Africa, reaffirming support for dialogue, African-led peace processes and respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity,” the statement said. ■
