Water and Sanitation Minister, Ms Pemmy Majodina, together with her Egyptian counterpart, Minister Hani Sewilam of Water Resources and Irrigation, successfully co-hosted a high-level webinar on Transboundary Water Cooperation on Sunday, 8 March 2026. The webinar was held under the inspiring theme, “Water for People”.

The webinar took place during March, a month marked by significant observance in South Africa, including National Water Month, International Women’s Day and Human Rights Day. Celebrated globally on 8 March, International Women’s Day provided a fitting platform for the webinar, which highlighted gender equality and the empowerment of women, particularly within the water sector.

“This webinar seeks to highlight the essential role of women in fostering dialogue, building trust, and shaping collaborative frameworks for sustainable water management and peace. We commend the women who are already trailblazers in their respective spaces and the impeccable leadership we possess across the board, who advance the needs of our communities in ensuring we deliver water to all,” emphasised Minister Majodina during her address.

Minister Majodina further alluded to her counterpart, Minister Sewilam that there is a need to continue to raise the voices of women in the water sector, their leadership and technical capabilities:

“The decisions we make and the ideas we generate in these engagements have the power to shape economies, influence policies, and improve lives around the planet”.

“With each and every intervention, as a collective and an individual in your space, we need to sit back and ask what impact have we made to ensure “Water for People” and how are we supporting the young engineers and scientists in the sector so that we can achieve the goals that we set for ourselves to ensure water security and that NO ONE is left behind in accessing clean water and sanitation,” the Minister implored the audience.

Minister Majodina expressed sincere appreciation to the women professionals from South Africa and Egypt who participated in the webinar, acknowledging their time, dedication and commitment to advancing co-operation in the water sector. “I extend my heartfelt gratitude for your time, your commitment, and your willingness to be part of this journey. May this event inspire new partnerships, meaningful dialogue, and lasting impact,” indicated Majodina. Minister Sewilam indicated that both Egypt and South Africa depend on transboundary water systems, which makes dialogue, technical cooperation, and sustained diplomatic engagement essential. “When women are fully engaged in water governance and transboundary co-operation, agreements become more sustainable, institutions become more representative, and communities become more resilient,” said Minister Sewilam.

“As we celebrate Internation Women’s Day, we must also renew our commitment to creating enabling environments for women’s leadership through education, mentorship, capacity building, and equal access to decision-making positions across the water sector,” Minister Sewilam explained.

Minister Sewilam also indicated that the webinar is more than a platform for discussions and that it is an opportunity to strengthen professional networks between Egypt and South Africa, exchange best practices, learn from each other’s experiences, and translate dialogue into concrete action.

The webinar featured compelling presentations on sustainable development through water co-operation, with focus on strengthening cross-border water governance and ensuring that water reaches marginalised communities. Speakers highlighted the critical role of women in water leadership and explored practical strategies for collaboration and empowerment. Throughout the discussions, participants shared innovative solutions to water sector challenges, proving how knowledge exchange and cooperative approaches can advance equitable and sustainable water management in both South Africa and Egypt.