CAIRO - 1 March 2023: The World Bank Group approved a $9.13 million development grant from the Global Environment Facility to expand the scope of the Air Pollution and Climate Change Management Project in Greater Cairo.
This grant aims to enhance the environmental benefits of the parent project, both locally and publicly, through improved management of e-waste and healthcare waste.
The project to reduce air pollution in Greater Cairo, which was approved earlier, supports the state's efforts to improve air quality, combat climate change, reduce emissions of air pollutants and global warming, and improve solid waste management, in Greater Cairo, at a value of $ 200 million. This is in light of the efforts that the state is working to implement to shift to a circular and green economy and to promote environmental practices.
The new grant makes it possible to improve levels of management and disposal of healthcare waste, as well as e-waste, in order to reduce further unintentional release of persistent organic pollutants.
For her part, Rania Al-Mashat, Minister of International Cooperation, said that the expansion of the air pollution and climate change management project in Greater Cairo comes within the framework of the Egyptian government’s commitment to green transformation by using innovative methods to enhance the management of e-waste and health care waste, while taking into account the health of citizens in the first place.
“The development of this project will support Egypt's climate strategy 2050 by creating a regulatory environment based on data-driven decision-making and awareness of waste management and recycling, and it also complements the country's efforts during the COP27 climate conference to drive the transition to a green economy,” Al-Mashat added.
“We have a serious commitment to supporting broader conservation efforts in Egypt,” Marina Wess, World Bank Country Director for Egypt, Yemen and Djibouti, said
Wess added that the project is also consistent with the upcoming Strategic Partnership Framework with Egypt for the fiscal years 2023-2027, which places citizens at the center of its strategy, and aims to support Egypt’s efforts to improve its resilience to climate change in parallel with its efforts to transition towards a green economy.”
The expansion of the Greater Cairo Air Pollution Reduction Project aims to achieve its main goal by supporting the National Action Plan on Unintentional Persistent Organic Pollutants, with a particular focus on strengthening: (i) the regulatory framework; (ii) data collection; (iii) management, monitoring and follow-up; (iv) awareness; (v) secure handling capabilities; and (6) the capacity of the relevant sector to manage and recycle special types of waste.
The development financing portfolio between Egypt and the World Bank Group includes 14 ongoing projects worth $6.83 billion in the fields of water, rural development, sustainable transport, social protection, trade, investment, agriculture, education, health care and the environment, according to the statement. The portfolio also includes 23 projects for technical support and capacity building.
World Bank building
