As part of Egypt’s environmental agenda, Minister of Environment, Dr. Yasmine Fouad, met with Khaled Raslan and Mohamed Hossam, co-founders of Pan Marine Group, to explore innovative cooperation in preserving and developing the country’s marine environment. The meeting, held at the Environment Ministry’s headquarters in the New Administrative Capital, marks a forward step in Egypt’s push toward high-tech ocean stewardship.
Joined by senior environmental officials, including Dr. Ali Abu Sena, CEO of the Egyptian Environmental Affairs Agency, and Hoda Omar, Assistant Minister for Sustainable Tourism, the dialogue centered on leveraging digital tools to monitor marine violations and combat illegal fishing. One major outcome of the meeting was an agreement to sign a formal cooperation protocol between the Ministry and the Association to support electronic surveillance of Egypt’s marine habitats.
Tech-Driven Marine Conservation
Dr. Fouad emphasized the importance of using technological innovation to protect marine biodiversity. She highlighted the Ministry’s openness to partnering with civil society and startups in deploying smart systems for tracking environmental violations and electronic mapping of marine changes. “We are transforming the language of environmental policy from regulation to economic opportunity, from pollution control to natural resource sustainability,” she said.
Reinventing Egypt’s Natural Reserves
Over the past several years, the Ministry has rebranded Egypt’s protected areas—especially coastal ones—by improving infrastructure, training 93 environmental rangers in the Red Sea and South Sinai, and inviting private sector investment to develop eco-friendly activities. This effort includes launching the country’s first eco-lodge certification guide and creating digital applications for divers to record marine biodiversity.
“The pandemic gave us a lesson: protecting the environment can also be a livelihood. Our diver app not only helped track species during tourism’s downtime, but also provided financial support for local diving communities,” Dr. Fouad explained.
Financing Sustainability
The Ministry is also collaborating with a national bank to create a “Nature Fund.” The fund will enable youth-led and private ventures to operate sustainable businesses inside protected marine areas. “If we want ecotourism to thrive, we must build a financial ecosystem to support it,” Fouad noted.
Partnering for the Red Sea’s Future
The Marine Environmental Protection Association reiterated its mission to work hand-in-hand with government to protect Egypt’s marine wealth through technology and hands-on initiatives. The group expressed readiness to support species tracking in the Red Sea, employing AI-based monitoring tools and mobile platforms to document marine life and illegal practices.
They also commended the Ministry’s launch of the diver app, which enhances underwater biodiversity data collection and aligns with broader goals of smart, sustainable tourism in natural reserves.
