CAIRO: The popular tourist resort of Sharm El-Sheikh is going green by raising environmental management efficiency and preserving its natural resources, a meeting concluded last week.
The meeting was chaired by Prime Minister Ahmed Nazif and brought together the Ministers of State for Environmental Affairs, Tourism and Local Development, according to the Cabinet of Ministers’ website.
The meeting focused on protecting the natural resources as well as increasing developmental return in the area. Such a move is aimed at increasing tourism in the area by providing a unique location in the already popular spot.
Previous studies have revealed that there has been a high environmental burden on the natural resources in the area, especially the coral reefs as a result of unorganized management of diving and poor beach usage.
The initiative is aimed at protecting as well as managing the resources in the area, such as coral reef usage, without affecting the economic earnings and tourism.
Nazif called for a need to tackle the issue of solid wastes management in Sharm El-Sheikh as well as surrounding areas, but in an economical way.
He called for a strategic framework to be set up by the Ministry of State for Environmental Affairs. Steps for managing the solid wastes treatment would range from collection to classification as well as safe disposal.
They also discussed the need for implementing a new way to manage Sharm El-Sheikh to assure the involvement of all authorities and ministries concerned, under the supervision of the Ministry of Local Development, to protect the city’s natural resources as well as set an example for other cities to follow in the future.
