Laura Birkman, Director of the Climate, Water, and Food Security Programme at the Hague Centre for Strategic Studies (HCSS), participated in the 2025 edition of Cairo Water Week (October 12th – 16th) —a major regional platform for discussing water challenges and sustainable management in the Middle East and Africa.
Organised annually by the Egyptian Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation, Cairo Water Week brings together policymakers, researchers, practitioners, and international organisations to exchange experiences and promote cooperation on water-related issues. This year’s conference focused on advancing sustainable water systems, regional collaboration, and innovative financing for water solutions, building on Egypt’s growing role as a regional hub for water diplomacy.
Nature-Based Solutions as a Foundation for Water and Peace
Representing HCSS, Laura Birkman contributed to several high-level sessions underscoring the strategic role of nature-based solutions (NbS) in addressing water insecurity and fostering peace and the importance of capitalisation when scaling EU programmes that aim to address water-related challenges.
“Nature-based solutions offer an opportunity for water and peace,” Birkman noted during the High-Level Panel on ‘Nature-based Solutions for Sustainable Water Systems’. “By restoring the water cycle through ecological regeneration and sustainable livelihoods, we can create essential foundations for stability and lasting peace.”
Birkman highlighted The Weather Makers’ innovative vision to restore the global water cycle and stressed the need for both long-term rainfall restoration and short-term, practical NbS—such as wetland restoration, which is also a core part of the Water, Peace and Security (WPS) work championed by Wetlands International.
“Through natural processes, we can stimulate the water cycle and achieve meaningful landscape regeneration within a single generation,” she said.
The session, moderated by Dr. Youssef Brouziyne (International Water Management Institute, IWMI), featured distinguished panellists including:
- H.E. Ambassador Berik Aryn, Director General, Islamic Organization for Food Security (IOFS)
- Mr. Buba Sanyang, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Fisheries, Water Resources and National Assembly Matters, The Gambia
- Mr. Naoufel Telahigue, Regional Director, Near East, North Africa and Europe Division, IFAD
- Prof. Zhang Xiaolei, Expert in Flash Flood Management, China
Linking Research, Policy, and Investment
In addition, Birkman delivered a framing keynote and moderated a session on programme capitalisation during the EU–Egypt Water Investment Conference: Shaping Mediterranean Water Futures: Advancing PRIMA, NEXTMED, and Horizon Europe Partnerships, opened by H.E. Angelina Eichhorst (EU Ambassador to Egypt) and Prof. Dr. AbdelHamid El-Zoheir (Co-Chair of PRIMA). Joined by representatives from different EU funding programmes, she stressed that effective capitalisation serves as the bridge between research, policy, and investment.
“Capitalisation is about turning knowledge into action. It requires evidence integration, cross-programme synergies, and institutional learning – the architecture for scaling Mediterranean water solutions,” Birkman explained.
Strengthening Partnerships for Water Security
Beyond formal sessions, Birkman also met with long-standing partners and innovators, including colleagues from Deltares, who are pioneering hackathons and collaborative design events aimed at mitigating the impacts of sea level rise in Egypt and beyond.
HCSS’s participation in Cairo Water Week reflects our growing body of work on water security, climate resilience, and conflict prevention. Through initiatives such as the Water, Peace & Security (WPS) partnership, HCSS contributes to developing tools, data, and policy insights that help decision-makers understand and address the links between water scarcity, instability, and cooperation.
HCSS extends its gratitude to the Egyptian Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation, the International Water Management Institute (IWMI), and the Delegation of the European Union to Egypt—in particular Dr. Ayman Ayad —for the invitation and their continued commitment to advancing sustainable water governance.
About the Water, Peace & Security Partnership
The Water, Peace & Security (WPS) Partnership brings together organisations HCSS, Wetlands International, IHE-Delft, Deltares, the World Resources Institute, and International Alert to develop innovative tools and approaches that link data-driven analysis to dialogue and action. By identifying and addressing the risks where water insecurity could lead to conflict, the partnership supports governments, development agencies, and local actors in building cooperative and sustainable water solutions around the world.
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