Sharm El Sheikh designated as Egypt's first green city by ICLEI
This significant achievement was announced by Minister of Environment Yasmine Fouad, alongside South Sinai Governor Khaled Fouda and UNDP Deputy Resident Representative Gimar Deeb.
The designation marks the culmination of Sharm El Sheikh's extensive journey towards environmental sustainability, which gained momentum after Egypt hosted the UN Biodiversity Conference in 2018 and was solidified by the UN Climate Change Conference (COP27) in 2022.
Guided by presidential directives, approximately 39 projects transformed the city into a comprehensive green model.
Key initiatives contributing to this status include substantial investments (LE800 million) in renewable energy (51 megawatts, solar installations across hotels and remote areas), the establishment of 145 km of cycling paths and sustainable transport, and robust solid waste management systems that engage the local community, including converting used cooking oil into biodiesel.
The city also focuses on water desalination in Nabq Protectorate and biodiversity preservation, including coral reef monitoring.
Though Sharm El Sheikh is the inaugural Egyptian city to join the ICLEI, El-Kharga City's prior designation as a green city by the Arab League highlights Egypt's expansive dedication to sustainable development.
Governor Fouda emphasized that COP27 was a critical turning point, solidifying Sharm El Sheikh's identity as a green tourism destination.
The 'Green Sharm' project specifically targets energy, waste, transport, water, and biodiversity, including a ban on single-use plastics in 50 hotels by 2025/2026.
This comprehensive strategy, supported by over $19.7 million in funding, aims to make Sharm El Sheikh a global model for sustainable tourism, promoting a healthy environment, a promising economy, and a responsible community.
The Green Sharm Project Manager and the UNDP representative both lauded Sharm El Sheikh's inclusion, emphasizing it as a clear demonstration of Egypt's dedication to green transformation and its positive impact on the city's tourism appeal in addition to its role as a global symbol post-COP27.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Middle East
3 days ago
- Middle East
OPEN// FM discusses with UNDP official Gaza crisis, development cooperation
CAIRO, July 28 (MENA) – Foreign Affairs, Emigration and Expatriates Minister Badr Abdelatty met on Monday with Haoliang Xu, Acting Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), on the sidelines of the International High-Level Conference on a Peaceful Settlement of the Palestinian Question and Implementation of the Two-State Solution. Abdelatty expressed appreciation for the vital role UNDP plays in supporting Egypt's development efforts. He commended the programme's constructive contributions to building national capacities and advancing Egypt's progress toward achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. He noted that UNDP's support is a key pillar of Egypt's efforts to implement its Vision 2030 and to navigate growing economic challenges. The minister reaffirmed Egypt's commitment to further strengthening cooperation with the programme across all areas of shared interest, whether bilaterally or within multilateral partnerships, to support development and regional stability. The two officials also discussed the situation in Gaza. Abdelatty shed light on Egypt's intensive efforts to secure a ceasefire and facilitate the unimpeded delivery of humanitarian aid to meet the urgent needs of the Palestinian population. He reiterated Egypt's firm rejection of any attempts to forcibly displace Palestinians from their homeland. The minister also pointed to continued coordination between Egypt, Qatar and the United States in efforts to reach an agreement that would end the worsening humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip. In a related context, the top diplomat reviewed preparations for an international conference focused on Gaza's early recovery and reconstruction. He underscored the need to rally regional and international support to rebuild the territory's infrastructure and highlighted key elements of the Arab-Islamic plan for Gaza. He stressed the importance of establishing a clear political horizon to address the root causes of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and secure the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, including their right to self-determination and the establishment of an independent state. For his part, Haoliang Xu praised the strong cooperation between UNDP and Egypt and commended Egypt's ongoing efforts to support security and stability across the region. (MENA) R E E/
Al-Ahram Weekly
23-07-2025
- Al-Ahram Weekly
Egypt at the helm of the UNCCD - Egypt - Al-Ahram Weekly
Yasmine Fouad has resigned as minister of environment to become executive secretary of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification Prime Minister Mustafa Madbouli accepted the resignation of Yasmine Fouad from her post as minister of environment this week, assigning Manal Awad, minister of local development, to temporarily assume the duties, in addition to her current role, until a new minister is appointed. Fouad's resignation comes after UN Secretary-General António Guterres selected her in May as the new executive secretary of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD). The selection was made in consultation with the Bureau of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention. Fouad succeeds Ibrahim Thiaw of Mauritania. Of Fouad's appointment to the UN office, Madbouli had earlier said it reflects international confidence in Egyptian expertise and its capacity to contribute to efforts in tackling environmental challenges. Fouad has served as Egypt's minister of environment since 2018, and during her tenure a framework was established to encourage private-sector engagement and integrate environmental sustainability into national investment strategies. She has over 27 years of experience in environmental governance, global environmental issues, and international climate diplomacy. She has overseen plans for sustainable development, linking them to national priorities and global environmental challenges, including climate change, biodiversity loss, land degradation, and transboundary water governance. Internationally, Fouad chaired the 14th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD COP14) from 2018 to 2021. From 2021 to 2022, she served as ministerial coordinator and envoy for the United Nations Climate Change Conference (UNFCCC COP27), held in Sharm El-Sheikh in 2022, contributing to building consensus on the Global Biodiversity Framework through 2030. During the COP27, she promoted global initiatives on adaptation, food security, agriculture, and nature-based solutions. She also led the Presidential Global Initiative launched at the earlier COP14, which seeks to link the three Rio Conventions (UNFCCC, CBD, and UNCCD). She has participated in climate finance negotiations at five climate conferences, representing the interests of the developing countries and seeking the collaboration of the developed countries. At the regional level, Fouad participated in the Committee of African Heads of State and Government on Climate Change in 2015 and in the African Ministers Conference on the Environment from 2015 to 2017. She helped in the technical preparation of the African Adaptation Initiative and the African Renewable Energy Initiative. She also co-chaired the Steering Committee of the Regional Flagship Programmes under the New Partnership for Africa's Development, which addresses sustainable land management, desertification, biodiversity, and ecosystem-based approaches to climate change adaptation. Fouad was a visiting scholar at Columbia University's Earth Institute in the US, where she contributed to the design of Egypt's Centre of Excellence for Climate Change Adaptation and participated in the development of policy papers on climate change in the Middle East and North Africa region. She holds a PhD in political science with a specialisation in Euro-Mediterranean Studies and a Master's degree in environmental science. Previous executive secretaries of the UNCCD include Hama Arba Diallo, a former foreign minister of Burkina Faso, Luc Gnacadja, a former minister of environment of Benin, and French-national Monique Barbut, former CEO of the Global Environment Facility. The UNCCD was established in 1994, with its permanent secretariat commencing operations in 1999. * A version of this article appears in print in the 24 July, 2025 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
Mid East Info
21-07-2025
- Mid East Info
Youth Knowledge Forum kicks off in Egypt with participation of key experts and industry leaders - Middle East Business News and Information
Under the patronage of Egypt's Prime Minister, Dr. Mostafa Madbouly Egypt's Minister of Youth and Sports attended the opening of the Forum's fourth edition, held at Cairo University Theatre The fourth edition of the Youth Knowledge Forum (YKF)، titled 'Knowledge Economy and Human Development,' commenced at the Cairo University Theatre, garnering wide participation both regionally and internationally. It is being organized by the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Knowledge Foundation (MBRF), in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Egypt's Ministry of Youth and Sports (MOYS) through the Youth Knowledge Office, under the patronage of Dr. Mostafa Madbouly, Prime Minister of Egypt. The opening ceremony was attended by Dr. Ashraf Sobhy, Egypt's Minister of Youth and Sports, along with several other ministers and senior officials, including Dr. Khaled Abdel Ghaffar, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Health and Population; Dr. Ahmed Fouad Hanno, Minister of Culture; and Counselor Mahmoud Fawzy, Minister of Parliamentary and Legal Affairs. The inaugural session was also graced by the presence of H.E. Jamal bin Huwaireb, CEO of MBRF; Dr. Mohamed Sami Abdel Sadek, President of Cairo University; and Eng. Hany Torky, Project Manager of the Knowledge Project at UNDP, as well as a distinguished group of partners and experts. Furthermore, attendees enjoyed a vibrant lineup of musical and artistic performances by the 'Percussion' troupe. Dr. Ashraf Sobhy emphasized that as the host of the Forum's fourth edition, Egypt has demonstrated its strong commitment to investing in human capital and capacity building. Moreover, he stated that the knowledge economy is the backbone of the nation's ongoing development efforts. He further stated: 'The forum serves as a dynamic platform for impactful dialogue and youth policymaking, redefining benchmarks of how government institutions should engage with youth in an era of digital and knowledge transformation. Through such initiatives, we strive to enhance the creativity, awareness, and leadership qualities of Arab youth, since empowering them today is fundamental to building a cohesive society and a sustainable, competitive economy.' H.E. Jamal bin Huwaireb, CEO of MBRF, expressed his delight at the Forum's return to Cairo, following the success of last year's edition. He further underscored that Arab youth empowerment remains a cornerstone of the Foundation's strategic vision. Meanwhile, Eng. Hany Torky, Project Manager of UNDP's Knowledge Project, emphasized that the world's greatest challenge today is not a lack of professional opportunities, but a growing skill gap, which is hindering individuals' ability to keep pace with digital transformation and artificial intelligence. Following the opening, the first session titled 'Knowledge Economy and Human Development' was moderated by Mr. Mostafa Magdy, Assistant Minister of Youth and Sports for Strategic Affairs and Information, and a member of the Technical Secretariat of the Ministerial Group for Human Development. The session explored the importance of formulating a comprehensive vision for the knowledge economy and examined the role of Egypt's development policies in supporting the same. The event also featured a second session titled 'Formulating Development Policies in the Era of the Knowledge Economy,' which was moderated by Mr. Fathi Emad, Director of the Egyptian Knowledge Youth Office. The session facilitated discussions on enhancing public policies, in line with global shifts in knowledge and innovation. The session witnessed the participation of Dr. Ashraf Sobhy, Minister of Youth and Sports; Dr. Ahmed Fouad Hanno, Minister of Culture; H.E. Jamal bin Huwaireb, CEO of MBRF; and Dr. Mohamed Sami Abdel Sadek, President of Cairo University. Together, they outlined Egypt's future vision for strengthening the knowledge economy, emphasizing the need to invest in human capital while fostering robust collaboration between the government and other institutions to drive knowledge-based development. On the first day, the Forum facilitated six specialized panel discussions addressing a variety of key topics, including strategies for advancing the knowledge economy in Egypt, the role of international institutions in fostering a knowledge-friendly environment, the transformation of education to meet the needs of the modern era, artificial intelligence as a key driver of development, and the impact of misinformation on the economy and society. The sessions attracted wide participation from a group of leading executives and experts from prestigious organizations such as Microsoft, Uber, and Blocks 17, in addition to prominent academic and thought leaders.
