Through the National Solid Waste Management Programme (NSWMP) in Egypt, workers in the waste sector will be better protected in their daily work. Following a videoconference with officials, relevant governors and development partners, Egypt’s Minister of Environment announced £29 million ($1.8 million) to protect workers in the waste sector.
The funding covers the governorates of Kafr El-Sheikh, Gharbeya, Qena and Assiut. According to the minister, Yasmine Fouad, this emergency envelope is intended to protect workers against the spread of Covid-19. Egypt’s Environment Minister also indicated that the next phase of the NSWMP programme would be the maintenance of waste management facilities, including recycling plants and landfills.
Supported by Germany, the National Solid Waste Management Programme (NSWMP) aims to develop and improve the efficiency of the municipal solid waste management system in these governorates through an investment of more than $85 million. The programme is jointly implemented by the Egyptian authorities, the Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau (KfW) (the German development agency), the European Commission and the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs.
According to the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), the German international co-operation agency supporting the government’s initiative, the Egyptian Waste Management Regulatory Authority (WMRA) will be established. This public body will provide new services for the waste sector in cooperation with existing actors: the development of public policies, support and supervision of governorates and the creation of sustainable financing models.
Jean Marie Takouleu