The Egyptian government and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) have signed an agreement to develop environmentally friendly industrial parks. This project is supported by Switzerland.
Egypt wants to put sustainability at the center of its industrial development. This is the reason for signing an agreement with the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO). The agreement covers the establishment of eco-responsible industrial parks. According to Bassel Al-Khatib, UNIDO’s regional director and representative in Egypt, the project with the Egyptian government will follow a new integrated approach, focusing on reducing waste and greenhouse gas emissions, while attracting investment and creating job opportunities in Egypt’s industrial zones.
The Swiss-funded project is part of the industrial zones component of the Country Partnership Program (CPP) in Egypt and is part of the Global Eco-Industrial Parks Program (GEIPP). This UNIDO initiative aims to increase the economic, environmental and social performance of enterprises, thereby contributing to inclusive and sustainable industrial development in developing economies.
The need for sustainability in industrial development
For Nevin Gamea, the Egyptian Minister of Trade and Industry, the establishment of eco-sustainable industrial parks is a necessity for the Egyptian government, which has made this initiative part of its sustainable development strategy (Egypt 2030).
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Since the early 2000s, Egypt has been developing industrial parks in droves. Several such zones have been created in the land of the pharaohs. These include Polaris Parks near Cairo and Engineering Square in Giza (a city on the west bank of the Nile), owned and managed by Industrial Development Group (IDG).
The aim of these exclusive zones is to attract investment from local and multinational companies. In line with its development strategy, Cairo has earmarked 8.5 billion Egyptian pounds (nearly $541 million) in 2020 for the creation of 13 industrial parks across Egypt. These special zones will be dedicated to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). This shows the need to put sustainability at the heart of this industrial development program.
Jean Marie Takouleu
