Egypt welcomed Saturday the UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ recent decision to appoint Indonesia’s Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi as his special envoy on water, who will take up her role starting next November.

In a statement, the Egyptian foreign ministry affirmed that this appointment marks a significant victory for Egypt, which, along with Germany, spearheaded efforts in preparation for the 2023 UN Water Conference.

According to the statement, Egypt and Germany’s campaign successfully garnered support from 151 countries, advocating for the creation of this position, which is expected to bolster member states’ efforts, particularly in water-scarce nations, in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly Goal 6, which focuses on sustainable management of water resources and access to safe water and sanitation.