Facing one of the century’s most daunting challenges, Egypt is making a high-stakes bet on seawater desalination to ease its deepening water crisis. Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly announced that the nation aims to expand the country’s desalinated water output more than sevenfold within five years, a plan that could reshape how the nation of 105 million sustains itself in a warming, water-stressed region. Egypt’s water deficit is stark. Officials estimate the country requires about 114 billion cubic meters of water each year, yet it has access to barely half that amount. The per capita share has already fallen to around 500 cubic meters annually, which is less than half the internationally recognized “water poverty” line of 1,000 cubic meters. Nearly all of Egypt’s fresh water comes from the Nile, a river increasingly strained by climate change, upstream dam projects, and the demands of a growing population. Egypt currently produces about 1.4 million cubic meters of desalinated water per day; however, the country needs at least 10 million cubic meters daily by 2030 to meet surging demand. The long-term goal is even more ambitious, with the plan to produce 30 million…
Egypt Turns to Seawater Desalination as Water Crisis Deepens
September 24, 2025
By Nadine Tag
Journalist
