Environment Min., Fayoum Governor talk latest developments of 'Safe Haven for Wildlife'

Egypt Today

17-02-2025

Fayoum Wildlife - file
CAIRO - 17 February 2025: Egyptian Minister of Environment Dr. Yasmine Fouad, and Dr. Ahmed Al-Ansari, Governor of Fayoum, held an expanded meeting Monday to follow up on the latest developments in the implementation status of the "Safe Haven for Wildlife in Wadi El Rayan Protected Area" project.
Dr. Yasmine Fouad, Minister of Environment, explained that the meeting comes within the framework of the permanent and continuous coordination between the Ministry of Environment, Fayoum Governorate, and representatives of the "Four Paws" Foundation, to agree on all the details of the project, and work to overcome all difficulties and complete them in order to actually start implementing the project on the ground.
The Minister of Environment pointed out that the Safe Haven for Wildlife project is one of the most important long-term giant investment projects implemented on the land of Wadi El Rayan Protected Area in Fayoum Governorate, as the project is being implemented on an area of ​​2,000 acres, and work is underway to issue initial approvals to implement the project as a whole, and to begin implementing the first phase of the project, which includes an area of ​​170 acres, including infrastructure and animal sites, whether predatory or herbivorous, which is expected to be completed within 3 years, noting that all procedures will be taken after presenting it to the Board of Directors of the Environmental Affairs Agency.
The Minister of Environment added that an agreement was reached on the form of the partnership between the Ministry of Environment and the Foundation, after reviewing and agreeing on some legal procedures to ensure that the project is implemented correctly, stressing the importance of adhering to the timetables for the various implementation stages of the project.
For his part, Dr. Ahmed Al-Ansari, Governor of Fayoum, confirmed that the governorate, in cooperation with the Ministry of Environment, is making great efforts to accelerate the pace of work and begin taking executive and procedural steps for the project, which comes in implementation of the directives of the political leadership, to encourage investment.
The Governor of Fayoum further explained that the project works to create a new type of tourism in the governorate, and to add a tourist attraction to Egypt in general and Fayoum in particular, within the framework of the state's vision to achieve the dimensions of sustainable development, stressing at the same time the governorate's readiness to provide the necessary support and overcome all obstacles to the implementation of the project.
The "Safe Haven" project is an environmental project that aims to preserve wildlife and promote ecotourism in Egypt. The project is implemented in accordance with the quadripartite cooperation protocol concluded between the Ministry of Environment, Fayoum Governorate, Princess Alia bint Al Hussein Foundation, and the (Four Paws) Foundation, as the first twinning between Egypt and Jordan in the natural reserves in Fayoum.
It comes within the framework of the Egyptian state's plans and strategies for development, supporting and stimulating investment opportunities in the environmental field, protecting nature and biodiversity, and creating partnerships with all national and international regional institutions.
The meeting was held in the presence of Dr. Mohamed El-Touni, Deputy Governor of Fayoum, Dr. Ali Abu Senna, CEO of the Environmental Affairs Agency, Dr. Mohamed Salem, Head of the Nature Protection Sector, Ms. Yasmine Salem, Assistant Minister for Government Coordination, Dr. Amir Khalil, Director of Project Development Department at Four Paws Foundation, Dr. Marina Ivanova, Founder of Four Paws, Dr. Marwa Ahmed Mohamed, Technical Coordinator of the Safe Haven Project, Dr. Heba Mohamed Abdel Hafeez, Member of the Technical Office, and a number of leaders concerned with the ministry.