Posted on :Monday , 2nd March 2026

In a fresh diplomatic effort to promote regional water cooperation within the Nile Basin, Egypt has proposed a $100 million financing mechanism to help Kenya build dams and enhance its water infrastructure.

The proposal was finalized on February 16, 2026, following formal meetings in Nairobi between Kenyan Prime Minister Musalia Mudavadi, Egypt's Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty, and Water Resources Minister Hani Sewilam. The money would go toward initiatives aimed at improving Kenya's water supply, such as groundwater extraction, rainwater collection systems, multipurpose dams like the proposed Koru Dam, and improvements in the Sio-Malakisi River basin. The talks indicated that adherence to international law and the preservation of downstream water flows would be prerequisites for implementation.

The program is a component of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership that Egypt and Kenya decided upon in January 2025. Through a "Blue Economy" framework, both governments are concurrently investigating further economic collaboration. A cooperative maritime shipping route connecting Egyptian Red Sea ports with Kenyan Indian Ocean hubs like Mombasa and Lamu is one of the plans under discussion. It is meant to facilitate commerce and investment in a variety of industries, including information technology, medicines, and agriculture.

Abdelatty demanded at the discussions that the Nile Basin Initiative resume "inclusive cooperation" and "consensus-based decision-making." The cash offer was presented by Egyptian officials as a way to promote cooperative development in shared river systems as opposed to unilateral measures.

The ninth session of the Egypt-Kenya Joint Commission, which is slated to take place in Cairo later this year and assess comprehensive plans for water projects and related infrastructure, is anticipated to include more technical discussions.