18 projects to be selected for ‘Smart Green Projects’ Initiative by October 15: Egypt's planning ministry

The committee for selecting the winning smart green projects will announce 18 small and medium enterprises by 15 October, according to Hisham Badr, Assistant Minister of Planning for Strategic Partnerships. The committee met earlier this week to evaluate the projects that were submitted from various governorates.

The committee consists of experts and professors from Egyptian universities, representatives from the Ministries of Planning and Economic Development, and the Environment, and a high-level delegation from the United Nations. The committee is chaired by Mahmoud Mohieldin, UN Climate Change High-Level Champion for Egypt.

Badr said that the winning projects will be showcased at the COP28, which will be held this year in the United Arab Emirates, to attract development support for the 18 projects out of 5,800 green projects that were submitted from all Egyptian governorates under the National Initiative for Smart Green Projects.

The Egyptian government has recently launched the second edition of the National Initiative for Smart Green Projects, which reflects Egypt’s vision to integrate development and digital transformation and to use information technology optimally.

He also revealed that he is close to signing several partnerships and agreements with the private sector and international development institutions to adopt small and medium green enterprises within the Green Smart Projects Initiative. The initiative plays an important role in facilitating communication between the private sector, international institutions, and the government.

The General Coordinator of the Smart Green Projects Initiative explained that the current stage involves reaping the benefits of the national initiative in cooperation with the governorates, starting with raising awareness of climate change through seminars, training programmes, and workshops that aimed to explain how to present smart green projects that provide solutions to climate change challenges.

He emphasized that the project evaluation stage will be completed by executive committees in each governorate that include representatives of the governorate and the ministries of Planning and Economic Development, Communications and Information Technology, Environment, Higher Education, and the National Council for Women. These committees will select the best projects based on several criteria to ensure transparency and good governance.

He stated that he held several meetings with successful businessmen in their fields to establish close partnerships that help the private sector expand in the Egyptian market in various activities, including research, green activities, recycling, and sustainable tourism. He stressed that the partnership with the United Nations contributes to providing scientific studies and research to serve the initiative, achieving complete integration between all parties.

He stressed that the initiative reflects the Egyptian state’s interest in the issue of climate change. It is part of the trend to empower the private sector, youth, and women, and in line with the state’s efforts to achieve the goals of sustainable development and digital transformation, as well as the national climate change strategy 2050. Badr explained that the goal of the initiative is to create a motivational movement within all governorates, to emphasize the importance of green and smart projects in various aspects of life.

Source: Zawya/Daily News Egypt