Pakistan taps Dutch expertise to reinforce water security

February 17, 2026 (MLN): Pakistan and the Netherlands signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on water resources cooperation during a high-level visit by a delegation from the IHE Delft Institute for Water Education.

The agreement is aimed at strengthening capacity building and enhancing technical collaboration in water management between the two countries.

The agreement was formalized between Pakistan’s Ministry of Water Resources and IHE Delft during a 2 3 day official visit to Pakistan.

The MoU focuses on training and capacity building of professionals from the Ministry and its affiliated organizations in water resources planning, development, and integrated management, according to the press release.

The visiting delegation was led by Prof. Graham Jewitt, Vice Rector and Academic Director of IHE Delft, and Associate Professor Dr. Ilyas Masih.

They were accompanied by Ambassador Mr. Robert-Jan Siegert and Deputy Head of Mission Mr. Hajo Provó Kluit of the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

Federal Minister for Water Resources Mian Muhammad Mueen Wattoo and Federal Secretary Syed Ali Murtaza Shah attended the meeting at the Ministry of Water Resources in Islamabad.

During the meeting, the minister highlighted the longstanding cooperation between Pakistan and the Netherlands in the water sector, citing Dutch expertise in water management, flood control and climate resilience.

Discussions focused on challenges facing Pakistan’s water sector, including climate change impacts, flood management and sustainable water utilization.

As part of the visit, the delegation is engaging with leading water-sector universities, disaster risk management institutions and other stakeholders across Pakistan.

A national-level technical workshop is also scheduled, bringing together major water-sector departments and academic institutions.

The visit is set to conclude with the development of a practical roadmap for implementing the MoU, aimed at strengthening technical capacity, research collaboration and knowledge exchange to support sustainable water resources management in Pakistan.

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