Translated by Sama Marwan,
Dr. Yasmine Fouad, the Minister of Environment, received members of the Senate’s Energy, Environment, and Labor Committee to discuss ways of cooperation on several important environmental files at the Ministry of Environment’s headquarters in the government district of the new administrative capital. The delegation included MP Eng. Magdy Salim, MP Amr Ezzat, MP Noha Ahmed Zaki, MP Eng. Abdel Majeed Al-Ashqar, MP Dr. Mahmoud Salah, and MP Ramadan Salim, along with Ms. Yasmin Salem, Assistant to the Minister of Environment for Government Coordination, and several concerned leaders of the ministry.
At the beginning of the meeting, Dr. Yasmine Fouad thanked the committee members for their cooperation and communication on various environmental issues, emphasizing the importance of working together to face current challenges. She confirmed the ministry’s interest in all the committee’s requests, suggestions, and ideas that support the environmental work. She also expressed her condolences for the late MP Eng. Abdel Khaleq Ayad, the former chairman of the Energy, Environment, and Labor Committee, acknowledging his dedication and continuous cooperation with the ministry on environmental issues.
During the meeting, MPs congratulated Dr. Yasmine Fouad on the renewed confidence of the political leadership and the parliament in her continued service as Minister of Environment. They wished her continued success in her future duties, highlighting her positive energy and recognizing the Ministry of Environment as part of the committee. They praised the local and international successes in the environmental sector, especially in pressing issues like climate change, waste management, and afforestation, particularly the presidential initiative “100 Million Trees.” They expressed pride in the international evaluations of Egypt’s climate and environmental efforts and affirmed their commitment to further cooperation for the country’s benefit.
Dr. Yasmine Fouad expressed her pride and gratitude for the MPs’ confidence, emphasizing the increased responsibility that comes with it. She noted that the Ministry of Environment has been working on developing an electronic system to facilitate and expedite the issuance of environmental approvals, now issued within seven days. The ministry also provides easy financing for industrial facilities to comply with environmental standards, aiming to achieve efficient use of natural resources, enhance local product competitiveness, reduce pollution, and address the effects of climate change, thereby meeting international commitments. She highlighted the ministry’s ongoing support for the Egyptian industry by offering financial opportunities for industrial projects to achieve environmental compliance and develop environmental correction plans. She also reviewed the current and future actions in the integrated waste management system across the governorates.
Dr. Yasmine Fouad stressed that the new government’s program, regarding the environmental file, focuses on enhancing investment opportunities, increasing private sector empowerment, engaging civil society, and supporting community participation to exchange opinions and ideas on all environmental issues. She emphasized the importance of MPs’ participation in implementing the new government program through idea exchange.
During the meeting, Dr. Yasmine Fouad discussed the community dialogue organized around the shared responsibility to enhance and accelerate the implementation of the “100 Million Trees” initiative, aiming to mobilize all societal segments to highlight the joint responsibility in improving and sustaining the environment and participating in state initiatives. She mentioned that all opinions and proposals from the dialogue were presented to the Prime Minister for implementation. Coordination with the Cairo Governor was mentioned for forming a technical committee to develop a comprehensive afforestation plan within the governorate, issuing a decision not to cut or heavily prune trees without committee approval. Coordination with the Ministry of Local Development in this regard included proposing constructive ideas and cooperating with civil society organizations and the private sector.
Dr. Yasmine Fouad listened to MPs’ opinions on the afforestation file, including the need to assign a specific entity to monitor and care for planted trees and train local workers on proper tree handling and pruning. She confirmed coordination with the Ministry of Agriculture to utilize their professionals for training programs across the governorates for three months on tree pruning. Expansion in establishing nurseries according to available capabilities was also mentioned.
Dr. Yasmine Fouad responded to several MPs’ questions, including the ministry’s role in the waste system in North Sinai Governorate. She explained that a sanitary landfill was recently delivered to the governorate, with another landfill in progress, along with preparing a set of equipment to serve the governorate. The regional branch of the ministry in the governorate works on solving its environmental problems. Regarding the availability of medical incinerators in Upper Egypt governorates, the Minister of Environment stated that there is an integrated management system for medical waste under the Waste Law. A strategy for medical waste was developed in cooperation with the Ministry of Health, and the current situation of medical waste quantities generated nationwide was studied. It was agreed to offer this type of waste to the private sector under specific procedures, using shredding and sterilization technology, with final disposal through sanitary landfilling. A tender document is being prepared for private sector investment in this field.
Dr. Yasmine Fouad concluded her meeting with the MPs by affirming that the Egyptian government pays great attention to environmental issues and makes every effort to preserve the environment despite challenges, to protect natural resources for future generations.
