Egypt’s Minister of Environment, Yasmine Fouad, met with the South Korean Ambassador to Egypt, Kim Young-hyun, to discuss strengthening bilateral environmental cooperation.
During the meeting, Fouad appreciated the cooperation with the Korean side in establishing solid waste recycling factories and expressed her aspiration to continue the cooperation in the next stage by transferring and localizing waste recycling technology, within the framework of Egypt’s keenness to support companies to develop solid waste management mechanisms in Egypt.
She also mentioned the Korean International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) support to the Ministry of Environment in implementing a training program to build the capabilities of those working in the geographic information system for environmental planning and management.
Fouad praised South Korea’s support for the Green Suez Canal project, with experts and technology, to enhance the path of green transformation in light of the strategic importance of the Suez Canal in the world.
The Minister of Environment explained that Egypt estimates South Korea’s contribution to the Green Climate Fund at $300m, as adaptation and mitigation are a priority for the African continent, to enhance the ability of its population to adapt and be resilient to the effects of climate change.
The meeting also addressed bilateral cooperation involving the private sector in environmental and climate investment, welcoming cooperation with Korean companies. The Minister of Environment spoke about the possibility of future cooperation in two priority areas, namely, integrated waste management, and implementing the nationally determined contributions plan for Egypt.
For his part, Ambassador Kim Young-hyun expressed his aspiration for fruitful future cooperation with the Egyptian side in the field of the environment, supporting the green transformation, and continuing cooperation in solid waste recycling, which has witnessed significant progress in recent years.
The cooperation resulted in the implementation of three solid waste recycling plants in three Egyptian governorates: Minya, Gharbeya, and Sohag, and working on implementing a project to convert waste into energy in Cairo, as well as cooperation in capacity building and technology transfer, and supporting the green transformation, especially in the Suez Canal.
