By Manal Abdel Fattah
On Monday, a high-level Egyptian-Swiss delegation visited the Suez Canal Economic Zone as part of cooperative efforts between the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), the State of Switzerland and the Ministry of Trade and Industry in Egypt, in order to confirm the role of environmentally friendly industrial zones in promoting sustainability and resource efficiency.
The delegation included Amr Hazza, Minister Plenipotentiary and Advisor to the Minister of Trade and Industry, Walid Gamal El Din, Head of the Suez Canal Economic Zone, Swiss Ambassador to Egypt Yvonne Baumann, Monica Rubiolo, Head of the Trade Promotion Department at the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO), and representatives of the Ministry of International Cooperation. The United Nations Resident Coordinator, Elena Panova, the representative of the UNIDO Regional Office, Patrick Jean Gilabere, the Head of the Circular Economy and Chemicals Management Department at the UNIDO Headquarters, Ismail Al-Hilali, and the Head of the Orascom Industrial Zone, Amr Al-Batrik.
The visit highlighted the tangible results of the Global Environmentally Friendly Industrial Parks Program (GEIPP) in Egypt, while UNIDO affirmed its commitment to promoting comprehensive and environmentally responsible economic growth within the country, pointing out that the visit of the Swiss Ambassador and Head of the Trade Promotion Department at the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs is an affirmation of the potential for transformative impact. For environmentally friendly industrial zones in the economic, environmental and social fields.
The visit also included the participation of key stakeholders from the government and the private sector, with the aim of demonstrating the successful initiatives implemented within the framework of the GEIPP Egypt project and enhancing stakeholder engagement towards replicating the environmentally friendly industrial zones approach as a driver of sustainable industrial development in Egypt.
Monica Rubiolo said, “Supporting partner countries to increase their competitiveness and productivity in the industrial sector is one of the main pillars of Swiss economic cooperation, and we are proud to support the global program for environmentally friendly industrial zones, which is being implemented in seven countries, including Egypt.”
For his part, the regional representative of UNIDO in Egypt pointed out that the visit of the Swiss Ambassador and Monica Rubiolo to the Suez Canal Economic Zone and the Orascom Industrial Zone represents an important opportunity to highlight the positive impact of our cooperative efforts. By presenting successful initiatives and interacting with our partners and stakeholders, we aim to strengthen our commitment to development. Sustainable industries in Egypt.
The visit included presentations from the GEIPP Egypt project team, the Suez Canal Economic Zone and the Orascom Industrial Zone, in addition to site visits to review the positive impact of the measures implemented within the framework of the GEIPP Egypt project.
The Global Environmentally Friendly Industrial Parks Program (GEIPP) in Egypt, which is funded by the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs and implemented by UNIDO in cooperation with the Egyptian Ministry of Trade and Industry, aims to demonstrate the feasibility and benefits of environmentally friendly industrial parks (EIPs) in maximizing resource productivity and enhancing the economic, environmental and social performance of companies. With a total budget of approximately €1.6 million and a timeline of three years (2022-2024).
The project aims to stimulate sustainable growth across the industrial sector in Egypt. The project is being implemented in 3 industrial zones: the Orascom Industrial Zone, the Rubiki Leather Zone, and the Polaris Industrial Zone. The project is implemented in partnership with major entities such as the Suez Canal Economic Zone, the Industrial Development Authority, and the General Authority for Investments and Free Zones.
