International

Regional

National

Local

Personal Information

Qualifications

B.Sc. Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Cairo University (June 1957).

M.Sc. Irrigation Engineering, University of California, Davis, U.S.A. (January 1960).

Ph.D. Groundwater Hydrology, University of California, Davis U.S.A. (Sept. 1962).

Fellow, Economic Development Institute, The World Bank (IBRD), since 1972.
Visiting Professor, Irrigation & Drainage, Bari Institute, Italy, since 1975 till July 1981.

Fellow and Affiliate Professor, Water Resources Management, Colorado State University, Department of Water Resources Since 1988 – todate.

Honorary Doctorate from IHE-Delft University, the Netherlands.

 

Employment

April 2004 - to date: President of the Arab Water Council

June 1997 – Mar. 2009: Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation, Egypt.

Oct. 1979 - June 1997: President of the National Water Research Center (NWRC), Ministry of Public Works and Water Resources, Cairo, Egypt.

June 1975 - Oct.1979: Director, Water Distribution and Irrigation Systems Research Institute, Water Research Center.

Sep.1973 - June 1975: Director, Technical Office, Ministry of Irrigation, Cairo, Egypt.

Sep.1969 - Sep.1973: Director General, Technical Office, The General Egyptian Authority for Drainage Projects, Cairo, Egypt.

Jan.1966 - Sep.1969: Research Engineer, General Directorate for Research, Planning and Follow-up, Ministry of Irrigation, Cairo, Egypt.

Sep.1963 - Dec.1966: Research Engineer, Groundwater Research Inspectorate, Ministry of Irrigation, Cairo, Egypt.

Sep.1962 - Sep.1963: Postgraduate Research Engineer, Water Resources Department, University of California, Davis, U.S.A.

Jul.1957 - Feb.1959: Lecturer, Faculty of Engineering, Public Works Department, Cairo University, Egypt.

Awards

2010: Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun Award by the Japanese Government.

2009: First – class Republic Award by H.E. President Hosni Mubarak.

2009: "Knight" Recognition Award by the Italian Government.  

2008: Emil M. Mrak International Award, US Davis University, California, USA.

2005: Honorary IWRA Fellow Member for life.

2004: Water Conservation Award and Recognition Certificate awarded by President of Mexico on the occasion of the World Water Day, March 2004.

2003: Canne International Grand Water Prize, Canne 5th International Water Symposium, France.

2003: King Hassan II Great World Water Prize, Japan.

1997: Gold Medal and Recognition Certificate, Egyptian Engineering Society, Cairo, Egypt.

1996: Crawford Reid Memorial Award, The Irrigation Association, Texas, USA, in recognition of his significant achievements in promoting proper irrigation techniques and in fostering major advancements in the industry outside the United States.

1996: Crystal Drop Award for excellence in water-related fields, in recognition of long-term contribution to improving the world’s water situation.

1996: American Society for Irrigation and Drainage Award, USA.

1995: The International Committee of Civil Engineering Award in the Field of Land Reclamation.

1994: FOA Silver Medal in recognition of outstanding efforts in sustainable development of natural resources and agricultural development on the occasion of the World Water Day "Water for Life".

1994: Arid Land Hydraulic Engineering Award, American Society of Civil Engineers, U.S.A. 

1993: FOA Silver Medal, in recognition of efforts and support in the area of biodiversity and ecological conservation. 

1991: Best Paper of the Year Award, International Water Resources Association, Mexico.

1988: Engineer of the Year Award, Egyptian Engineering Syndicate.

1986: President of Egypt Gold Medal Award (First Class), Government of Egypt.

Membership in National & International Organization

 First: National Organizations

Member, Civil Engineering Board, Egyptian Engineering Syndicate, since 1968 for six years, Secretary-General of the Syndicate in 1968, Head of the Scientific Committee, and Member of the Advisory Committee of the Civil Engineering Division.

Chairman, Civil Engineering Division, Egyptian Engineering Syndicate, 1971-1975.

Member, Board of Directors, Egyptian Irrigation Engineering Society, Egypt, since 1970 - todate.

Member, Board of Directors, Engineering Society Magazine, Egypt, since 1970 - todate.

Member, Institut  D'Egypte, Cairo, Egypt.

Chairman, Irrigation and Drainage Commission, National Democratic Party.

Head of the Water Resources and Irrigation Division, Egyptian Academy of Scientific Research and Technology.

Member, Board of the Egyptian Academy of Scientific Research and Technology.

Member, Drainage Advisory Committee, Academy of Scientific Research and Technology, Egypt.

Member, Irrigation Systems Assessment Committee, Academy of Scientific Research and Technology, Egypt.

Member, Land Reclamation Committee, Academy of Scientific Research and Technology, Egypt.

Member, Food and Agriculture Research Council, Academy of Scientific Research and Technology, Egypt.

Member, Environmental Research Council, Academy of Scientific Research and Technology, Egypt.

Member, New Communities Council, Academy of Scientific Research and Technology, Egypt.

Member, Agricultural Engineering Committee, Academy of Scientific Research and Technology.

Member, Advisory Panel of the Chairman, Academy of Scientific Research and Technology.

Chairman, National Committee for preparing  the Water Policy for Egypt for the year 2000 and beyond.

Member, Committee for Developing Engineering Education, University Supreme Council.

Member, Land and Water Development Committee, University Supreme Council.

Chairman, Board of Directors, Water Science Journal, Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation.

Member, Board of Directors, Agricultural Research Center, Egypt.

Vice-President of the National IHP Committee, UNESCO.

Member, Board of Directors, Faculty of Engineering, Zagazig University.

Member, Egyptian National Committee on Irrigation and Drainage (ENCID) Egypt.

Member, Egyptian National Committee on Water Resources, Egypt.

Member, Egyptian National Committee on Large Dams, Egypt.

Second: International Organizations

Member of the UN High-Level Taskforce (HLT) for the Global Framework for Climate Services (GFCS), January 2010.

Chairman of the African Water Facility Council since February 2005 todate.

President of the Arab Water Council (AWC) since 2004 - todate.

Honorary President of the World Water Council (WWC) for life since 2003, having been elected for three successive terms (9 years) as WWC President, which is the maximum duration/person according to regulations.

Member of the UN Secretary-General's Advisory Board (UNSGAB) on Water and Sanitation since 2004.

President, Governing Council International Hydrological Program (IHP), UNESCO, 1996 -1998.

President, International Water Resources Association (IWRA), 1991-1994.

Vice-President of the International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage (ICID), 1992-1995, and Honorary Vice-President of ICID since 1996.

Chairman of the Egyptian-Dutch Advisory Panel Project (APP) for Drainage and Water Management, 1988-todate.

Member, Panel of Experts on Environmental Management for Vector Control (PEEM-WHO) and Chairman of the Steering Committee, 1992.

Vice President, International Center for Advanced Mediterranean Agronomic Studies (CIHEAM), Paris, 1961 - 1996.

Member, World Bank Panel of Experts for the Aral Sea Basin in Russia, 1992.

General Coordinator of the African Water Resources Network (United Nations Environmental Program) 1987 - 1994.

Member, Editorial Board, Journal of Irrigation and Drainage Systems, The Netherlands.

Member, Editorial Board, International Journal of Water Resources Development.

Member, American Society of Civil Engineering (ASCE), U.S.A.

Member, American Water Well Association (AWWA), U.S.A.

Member, American Geophysical Union (AGU), U.S.A..

Other Experiences

Consultant for numerous organizations including: The World Bank, WHO, CIDA, USAID, FAO, UNEP and UNESCO.

Advised several governments on water resources issues including: China, Yemen, Oman, Iraq, Bahrain, Lebanon, Syria, and the Aral Sea Basin Countries.

Represented Egypt in all major events on water : Mardel Plata, Dublin, UNCED, Nile Basin, Middle East Peace Negotiations.

Teaches regularly and supervises graduate students at:

1.       Cairo University (Giza, Egypt), Faculty of Engineering.

2.       Ain Shams University, Faculty of Engineering.

3.       Institute for African Studies (Cairo, Egypt)

4.       Istituto Agronomico Mediterraneo (Bari, Italy),

5.       Asian Institute of Technology (Bangkok, Thailand)

6.       Colorado State University (Fort Collins, U.S.A)

Organized several large world congresses, symposia and seminars on water- related topics including ICID, IWRA, Nile 2002.

Organized regular training courses for trainees from Asia, Africa and Latin America on Irrigation, Drainage, Water Resources and Environment.

 Publications

Authored and co-authored more than 200 published papers and 13 books in English and Arabic.

Has given numerous lectures, presentations and keynote addresses at national and international assemblies.