The Launching of the EWP held on 25 October 2003, was inaugurated by H.E. Dr. Ahmed Goueli, EWP President, H.E. Dr. Mahmoud Abu-Zeid, Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation, Dr. Kamal Sabet, Former Executive Director of the Centre for Environment and Development for the Arab Region and Europe (CEDARE), and Dr. Magdy Madkour, Chairman of the Agricultural Research Center on behalf of H.E. Dr. Youssef Waly, Minister of Agriculture and Land Reclamation, and H.E. Mr. Sjoerd Leenstra, Ambassador of the Netherlands. All sectors were represented during the event, and participants showed enthusiasm and interest in joining the EWP and contributing to its objectives and activities. Membership of the EWP increased from 15 to 130 members after the launching.