Shoukry stressed to Fauchon the need for reaching a binding deal between Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia on the rules of filling and operation of the dam, according to a statement released foreign ministry.

During the meeting, Shoukry also reviewed the water security challenges that face Egypt, including challenges posed by the GERD.

Egypt and Sudan have rejected unilateral Ethiopian actions in the filling and operation of the GERD, including Addis Ababa's recent embarking on the third phase of filling the dam's 74-billion-cubic-metre reservoir and operating the dam turbines without their consent.

The two downstream countries have repeatedly called  on Addis Ababa to sign a binding agreement on the filling and operation of the dam that would secure their water rights and protect their peoples’ interests, but to no avail.

Egypt is organising the fifth edition of CWW 2022 - under the slogan ‘Water at the Heart of Climate Action' - less than a month before the country hosts the 27th UN Climate Change Conference (COP27) 6-18 November in the Red Sea city of Sharm El-Sheikh.   

This year’s edition of CWW 2022 features over 1,000 participants from 70 countries and from 66 international organisations.

The annual event, which aims to spread awareness on water issues and promote innovation to face the most pressing water-related challenges, is scheduled to run through Wednesday.

In his speech during the opening of the CWW, Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi discussed water challenges facing Egypt and the world.

El-Sisi renewed Egypt’s commitment to doing its best to settle the GERD issue in a manner that protects the interests of all parties.

He urged the international community to concentrate its efforts to ensure the achievement of this “just goal”.

El-Sisi also Egypt will launch the ‘Water Adaptation and Resilience’ initiative in collaboration with the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) at the COP27.