Egypt is going to work together with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) over the upcoming three years to promote a circular economy in the country.
The agreement was signed on March 9. The Japanese government will offer aid to Egypt for this project in the amount of USD3.57 million. Egypt’s Ministry of Trade and Industry, the Plastic Technology Center, and the Chamber of Industries will cooperate in the project.
It will make efforts in cutting the amount of plastic waste by demonstrating alternative greener approaches. Furthermore, the project will enhance economic design practices in the industry, while simultaneously encouraging the adoption of greener products, production processes, and environmentally-friendly technology.
The program will offer technical assistance to small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), along with raising awareness of sustainable production and consumption patterns of plastics among stakeholders, producers, and consumers.
The project contributed to UNIDO’s Programme for Country Partnership (PCP) for Egypt. It was launched in February 2020 and aims at achieving inclusive and sustainable industrial development. PCP is consisting of six components, which are industrial policy and governance, investment promotion, green industry, smart cities and sustainable industrial parks, value chains, and mainstreaming industry 4.0.
The cooperation will support what Egypt has been doing in recent years which including commencing studies, formulating policies and regulations, raising awareness, and initiating community participation such as providing support for the proposals of civil society organizations and youth in reducing plastic consumption and recycling.
The Egyptian government is currently working on the draft of the executive regulations of an article on single-use plastic in Article No 27 of the Waste Management Law. in April, a project will be implemented on Egypt’s coasts, focusing on one governorate in the Mediterranean and another in the Red Sea.
