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Press Release
30 Sept 2003 - USAID Supports 'Environment 2003' Conference
National confab showcases ecotourism, vehicle emissions, natural gas
Nasr City, Egypt, September 30, 2003 -- The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID/Egypt) is enthusiastically participating in Egypt’s major biannual conference on ecological issues, "Environment 2003." The three-day gathering at the International Conference Center in Nasr City was inaugurated September 30 by Egyptian Prime Minister Dr. Atef Ebeid and Minister of State for Environmental Affairs Dr. Mamdouh Riad, who unveiled the country’s National Environmental Action Plan for the next 14 years. Attendees including many ministers and governors were welcomed by Dr. Peter Goepfrich, CEO of the German Arab Chamber of Industry & Commerce, and Dr. Abdel Moneim Seoudi, Chairman of the Federation of Egyptian Industries.
 USAID, which is active in many areas of environmental and natural resources management in Egypt, is participating in the conference through exhibits showcasing many of its activities and contractors under the Egyptian Environmental Policy Program and the Cairo Air Improvement Project. In addition, several USAID-funded contractors were presenting workshops including:
The Red Sea Sustainable Tourism Initiative (RSSTI) is leading a session on "eco-lodges" and sustainable tourism. RSSTI, part of the $170 million Egyptian Environmental Policy Program (EEPP), promotes conservation on the Red Sea including "best practices"* that have significantly decreased hotels’ water and energy consumption and improved their waste disposal procedures. RSSTI also facilitated the drafting of a Land Use Management Plan* designed to ensure environmentally sensitive development of a pristine 105-kilometer section of Red Sea coastline owned by the Tourism Development Authority.
The Cairo Air Improvement Project (CAIP) is sponsoring a workshop on air pollution including vehicle emissions testing and the benefits of converting to compressed natural gas (CNG). Dr. Reda Bata, CAIP’s CNG technical manager, discussed how CAIP helped the Egyptian Ministry of Industry develop national safety standards for natural gas fueling systems. CAIP is a $60 million USAID-funded project that since 1995 has promoted conversion of municipal buses to natural gas, lead pollution abatement, and vehicle emissions testing. CAIP has also funded air-quality monitoring equipment for the Egyptian Environmental Affairs Agency.
The NGO Service Center*, whose operations are funded by $32.5 million from USAID/Egypt, is participating in a discussion on how non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and public-private partnerships can play an effective role in environmental protection and conservation. The Center will also conduct outreach to make NGOs aware of new support for NGOs under the Egyptian Environmental Policy Program.
For more information on U.S. activities assisting Egypt in managing its environment and natural resources, click here. To receive USAID/Egypt press releases by e-mail, sign up here.
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This document was last updated on Thursday, October 21, 2004
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