Egypt’s Minister of Local Development, Dr. Manal Awad, received today, Wednesday, a delegation from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) led by Ms. Sue Barrett, the Bank’s Head of Infrastructure, and Mr. Hossam Issa, the Bank’s Regional Director for South and East Mediterranean, at the Ministry’s headquarters in the New Administrative Capital.
The meeting was attended by Dr. Hisham El Helbawy, Assistant Minister for National Projects and Local Administration Development, Ambassador Hossam Al-Qawish, Assistant Minister for International Cooperation, Dr. Said Helmy, Head of the Strategic Management and Local Development Sector, Eng. Zezi Kamel, Director of the General Department for Follow-up and Evaluation, and Dr. Abdo Mohamedin, Director of the Kitchener Drain Development Project, along with several officials from both the Ministry and EBRD’s Cairo office.
At the outset of the meeting, Dr. Manal Awad praised the strong bilateral cooperation with the European Bank, particularly in financing the Kitchener Drain Project (solid waste component) in the governorates of Dakahlia, Gharbia, and Kafr El Sheikh. She welcomed the initiation of new areas of collaboration, especially in the field of transforming several public transport garages to operate on solar energy and converting buses to electric power, along with the development of the necessary infrastructure for these projects.
The Minister emphasized her commitment to implementing a pilot project for converting one public transport garage in the governorates to operate on solar energy and charging electric buses, creating a comprehensive management, maintenance, and operation system. This aligns with the EBRD’s focus on sustainable urban transport and providing eco-friendly transport solutions, drawing from international experiences in this field.
Dr. Awad also mentioned her continuous follow-up on the progress of the Kitchener Drain Project, highlighting its critical role in improving infrastructure, waste management, and its contribution to achieving Egypt’s national climate change strategy and integrated municipal solid waste management goals.
The EBRD delegation reviewed the areas of projects of common interest, including urban transport, coastal protection, and solid waste management. They expressed their enthusiasm for collaborating with the Ministry of Local Development and providing necessary support to Egyptian governorates in these priority sectors. The EBRD delegation also agreed to provide the relevant consultants to assist in these projects.
