Latest news with #KafrElSheikh
Zawya
2 days ago
- Politics
- Zawya
Egypt prepares to tackle seasonal air pollution in Nile Delta
Egypt is launching preparations to combat the seasonal episodes of acute air pollution, often referred to as the 'black cloud,' that affect the Nile Delta region, Minister of Local Development and acting Minister of Environment, Manal Awad, has announced. The ministry will hold a series of periodic meetings with the governors of the affected provinces, starting with Kafr El-Sheikh, to coordinate efforts between the ministries of agriculture, environment, and local development, Awad said in a Tuesday statement. The first of these meetings took place on Monday in Kafr El-Sheikh, attended by local officials and representatives from the ministries and the World Bank-funded Greater Cairo Air Pollution Management and Climate Change Project. 'This comes in implementation of the political leadership's directives to provide a clean and safe environment for citizens, and in preparation for dealing with acute air pollution episodes associated with the burning of agricultural waste,' Awad stated. She emphasised that the combined efforts of ministries and relevant bodies will help turn this environmental challenge into an economic opportunity by utilising rice straw as an economic product instead of burning it. 'This system represents a success story for Egypt in addressing climate change, as it has increased farmers' awareness of the economic value of rice straw, reduced open burning rates, and created new job opportunities in rural areas,' Awad added. During the meeting in Kafr El-Sheikh, the governorate's assistant secretary-general, Major General Mohamed Sha'ir, stressed the importance of coordinating efforts to tackle the open burning of agricultural waste by promoting its recycling into fertilisers and feed. The plan for the 2025 season includes enhancing the collection and recycling of rice straw, coordinating between agencies to prevent waste accumulation, and enforcing penalties for violators. Officials at the meeting noted that Kafr El-Sheikh is one of Egypt's top rice-producing governorates and that its farmers have become increasingly aware of the benefits of using rice straw to produce organic fertilisers, animal feed, and other products. Dr. Mohamed Hassan, the national coordinator of the Greater Cairo Air Pollution Management and Climate Change Project, highlighted the project's role in reducing air pollutant emissions from two main sources: open waste burning and vehicle emissions. The $200 million project, launched in 2021 with World Bank funding, is establishing monitoring networks, implementing an integrated air quality management plan, and supporting waste management infrastructure. Hossam Amin, head of the branch affairs sector at the Environmental Affairs Agency, said that recycling rice straw also contributes to producing organic fertilisers, biofuel, and handicrafts, creating non-traditional job opportunities for youth in rural areas. Dr. Alaa Azzouz, head of the agricultural extension sector at the Ministry of Agriculture, affirmed the ministry's continued technical support for farmers and the implementation of awareness campaigns to promote safe management practices for agricultural waste. © 2025 Daily News Egypt. Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (
The National
29-05-2025
- General
- The National
Former Egyptian presidential hopeful Ahmed Tantawi released from prison after serving one-year sentence
Former Egyptian presidential hopeful Ahmed Tantawi has been released from prison after serving a one-year sentence for offences related to the 2023 presidential election, his lawyer said. 'Tantawi is now at his home' in the Nile Delta city of Kafr El Sheikh, said the lawyer, Khaled Ali. Mr Tantawi, a former member of parliament and vocal critic of President Abdel Fattah El Sisi, had sought to challenge the incumbent in the 2023 presidential vote. However, he and 22 of his campaign staff were convicted of 'circulating unauthorised election materials'. Rights lawyers said at the time that the charge was part of tactics employed by the authorities to prevent serious challengers from running against Mr El Sisi, who went on to win with a landslide 89.6 per cent of the vote. Mr Tantawi, 45, had accused authorities of stymying his effort to gather the 25,000 official endorsements required under the law to enter the race. In response, he allowed supporters to fill out 'popular endorsement forms' – copies of the official forms – an improvisation that prosecutors later branded electoral fraud. In the end, Mr Tantawi could not collect the required 25,000 endorsements, managing only 14,000, and he subsequently withdrew his candidature. The 2023 election gave Mr El Sisi a third, six-year term in office. Under the constitution, the Egyptian leader, who is 70, is now serving his final term. Mr Tantawi's release from prison on Wednesday night may not be the end of his legal troubles. Last month, he was questioned in connection with two other cases. Prosecutors accused him of 'inciting a terrorist act' and 'inciting a public gathering' for allegedly calling for demonstrations against the war in Gaza in October 2023. He has denied the accusations.
