Syrian Displacement Heavily Burdens Infrastructure, Says Minister Fiad from Cairo

Energy and Water Minister in the caretaker government, Walid Fiad, noted in an interview with Arab media on the sidelines of the Cairo Water Week conference, which takes place from October 29 to November 2 under the patronage of Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, that "this conference is evolving annually in a remarkable way, extending beyond Egypt to encompass the entire region and the concerned Arab countries as well as other countries in the world." He added: "It was also an opportunity to reaffirm the necessity for foreign entities from donor countries and other participants from international organizations to commit to financing investment projects in water, and the role they must play in countries most affected by climate change, which are asking for assistance while they have historically contributed to this change over the past hundred years. Therefore, it is their duty and part of their role to contribute to relevant funds aimed at addressing issues in the water sector for sustainability, whether in Egypt, in brotherly Arab countries, or in Lebanon." He further stated: "What significantly exacerbates the situation in Lebanon is the issue of Syrian displacement, which weighs heavily on the infrastructure and poses a very significant burden. Consequently, the international community is required to provide appropriate assistance commensurate with this burden in water sector investments, such as projects aimed at preserving surface water like dams that have stalled due to the economic crisis and the cessation of funding from the World Bank, among others, to complete them, such as the 'Bessri' dam and the 'Janna' dam, among others, where it has become essential to follow up on these projects and reactivate them."