Minister of Local Development and Environment Manal Awad reviewed proposed projects under the Sustainable Blue Economy in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden initiative. The review followed recent regional meetings in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
During a meeting with Sherif Abdel Rahim, Chief Executive Officer of the Egyptian Environmental Affairs Agency, Awad discussed outcomes from the first regional committee meeting of the HESBERSGA project and the national focal points meeting of the Regional Organization for the Conservation of the Environment of the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.
Awad noted that the initiative aligns Egypt’s national development vision with the Sustainable Development Goals and the priorities of the Global Environment Facility. Proposals included upgrades to environmental infrastructure in a Red Sea marine protected area, such as mooring buoys and monitoring equipment, as well as a green ports programme and marine spatial planning.
Awad directed officials to map coral reefs, establish mooring systems, and strengthen monitoring to protect marine habitats. The meeting also covered regional cooperation on marine pollution control and a national plan to combat illegal fishing along with reduced use of plastic bags in coastal areas.