Walid Gamal El-Din, the head of the Suez Canal Economic Zone (SCZONE), held discussions with Yvonne Baumann, the Swiss Ambassador to Cairo, accompanied by a team from the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), led by Elena Panova, the UN Resident Coordinator, and Patrick Gilbert, the UNIDO Regional Office’s envoy. They gathered for an important dialogue on the recent progress of the eco-friendly industrial zones initiative, a UNIDO-led program supported by Swiss funding, operational within the SCZONE through the industrial pioneer Orascom.
In the course of the dialogue, Gamal El-Din stressed that the economic zone is a monumental national endeavor designed to foster sustainable methods, boost Egypt’s GDP, create a wealth of employment opportunities, and form comprehensive industrial hubs underpinned by a robust environmental framework utilizing renewable energy.
He underscored the zone’s commitment to the Circular Economy, referencing its recent involvement in the Global Forum on the Circular Economy, following an invitation from UNIDO.
For her part, Yvonne Baumann, the Swiss Ambassador to Cairo, shared her contentment with her visit to the Suez Canal Economic Zone, particularly given the current global challenges. She lauded the zone’s narrative of success, which she attributed to its prime location, abundant resources, skilled talent pool, and dedicated labor force. She noted that the collaboration is designed to assist various nations in embracing eco-friendly economic models, with the backing of Swiss entities in partnership with global institutions. She highlighted that the triumphs within the economic zone set a precedent for this paradigm to be emulated in other zones.
Elena Panova, in turn, remarked that her trip to the Suez Canal Economic Zone presented a prime chance to observe the concrete outcomes of the eco-friendly industrial zones initiative, a five-year joint venture between UNIDO and the Egyptian government. She portrayed it as a strategic blueprint for a sustainable partnership in Egypt, advancing eco-friendly industrial conventions. She voiced her gratification in acquainting herself with the zone’s offerings in eco-friendly practices and job generation, expressing honor in collaborating with the economic zone on this front.
Post-meeting, the delegation embarked on a tour of the Suez Industrial Zone, inspecting locales where the initiative’s sustainable practices have been actualized. They explored the Integrated Packaging Solutions Factory and the Hyma Plast Factory, both specializing in the production of agricultural plastic wares.
