A high-level delegation from IHE Delft Institute for Water Education, one of the top-ranked international institutions in water sector education, called on the Federal Minister for Water Resources Mian Muhammad Mueen Wattoo during a 2–3 day official visit to Pakistan aimed at strengthening bilateral cooperation in water resources development and management.
The delegation was led by Prof. Graham Jewitt, Vice Rector and Academic Director of IHE Delft, and Associate Professor Dr. Ilyas Masih, and was accompanied by Ambassador H.E. Mr. Robert-Jan Siegert and Deputy Head of Mission Mr. Hajo Provó Kluit of the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The meeting was also attended by Federal Secretary for Water Resources Syed Ali Murtaza Shah at the Ministry of Water Resources, Islamabad.
Federal Minister Mian Muhammad Mueen Wattoo warmly welcomed the delegation and appreciated the longstanding cooperation between Pakistan and the Netherlands in the water sector. He acknowledged the Netherlands’ global leadership and technical expertise in water management and emphasized the importance of further strengthening collaboration to address emerging challenges, including climate change impacts, flood management, and sustainable water utilization.
On the occasion, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the Ministry of Water Resources and IHE Delft Institute for Water Education. The agreement focuses on capacity building of professionals from the Ministry and its affiliated organizations in the fields of water resources planning, development, and integrated management.
During their stay, the delegation will engage with leading water-sector universities, disaster risk management institutions, and other key stakeholders across the country. A national-level technical workshop will also be organized with participation from major water-sector departments and academic institutions from across Pakistan.
The visit will conclude with the development of a practical roadmap for effective implementation of the MoU, aimed at strengthening technical capacity, promoting research collaboration, and enhancing knowledge exchange to support sustainable water resources management in Pakistan.
