Discussion on air pollution and climate change management

28 يوليه 2020


Ministers of local development, international cooperation and the environment conclude the world bank mission meetings in preparation for negotiations on the air pollution management and climate change project in great Cairo.
Major general Mahmoud Sharawi: we are working on setting  up an integrated waste recycling, treatment and disposal complex at Al Asher men Ramadan city.
Dr. Rania Al Mashat : the project makes a strong contribution to achieve the sustainable development and we are  ready to start negotiations.
Dr. Yasmin Fouad: the final project consultation document has been finalized and a cadre from the ministry of the environment has been initiated to prepare the project coordination unit.
Major general Mahmoud Sharawi, minister of local development, Dr. Rania al-Mashat, minister of international cooperation, and Dr. Yasmin Fouad, minister of environment, participated in the closing meeting which was held via videoconference with the international  bank mission to Egypt to view the results and outcomes of the mission's work on the air pollution management and climate change project in great Cairo. To review the results and outputs of the mission's work on the air pollution and climate change management project in great Cairo, to be funded in the amount of $200 million in preparation for the transition to the negotiations, In the presence of the representatives of the ministries of health, population, planning and transport, the governor of Qalubia and the deputy governor of Giza, as well as representatives of the international  bank and the task forces in charge of the project .
Major-general Mahmoud Sharawi, minister of local development, stressed the ministry's desire to ensure the success of projects in cooperation with all international partners, notably the international  bank, especially in view of the joint cooperation in the project to improve air quality in the governorates of great Cairo (Cairo, Giza and Qalubia), in order to reduce the problem of pollution and implement the major  plans for the solid waste system in great Cairo.
Sharawi explained that with regard to the solid waste system file, an integrated waste recycling, treatment and disposal complex will be established, especially solid and medical waste and demolition, construction and dangerous  waste. He pointed out that this complex has been located in the city of 10 Ramadan on an area of 1,200 acres and will be dedicated to the governorates of Cairo and Qalubia .
The minister of local development noted the importance of the great Cairo air improvement project to reduce emissions of vehicles and public transport buses to environmentally friendly units, in keeping with the efforts of the Egyptian state to utilize new energy and expand electricity and natural gas buses in implementation of the directives of the political leadership in this regard. The conference stressed the importance of continued cooperation between the task forces of representatives of the ministries involved in the project and the world bank in order to follow up on all developments on the ground in order to overcome any obstacles or challenges as soon as they are resolved.
In this context, general Abdul Hamid al-hajjan, governor of Qalubia, has confirmed that work is currently under way to upgrade the waste management system in the governorate through the establishment of a new waste management and management unit in cooperation with the ministry of the environment and the waste management service, in order to use experts in this field. In addition, the number of provincial intermediate stations has been increased, equipment has been increased and existing city and district councils have been upgraded, and a new landfill has been constructed to accommodate the maximum amount of waste. From July 7-16, the international bank mission held several meetings with Egyptian officials to prepare for negotiations on the air pollution and climate change management project in greater Cairo, during which project objectives and components were discussed.
A number of stakeholders are involved in the implementation of the project (environment, local development, transport, health, the prefectures of Cairo and Giza, and public transport Cairo), The project will increase capacity to respond to environmental risks and promote community involvement in environmental issues. The project portfolio with the world bank for reconstruction and development includes 16 projects worth $4.9 billion, in social housing, health, education, social safety nets, petroleum, local development, sanitation, transport, small and medium enterprises, investment and the environment.


Translated by : Hanaa Mohamed Saleh