Egyptian-Dutch panel identifies next steps in integrated coastal zone management
An Egyptian delegation visited the Netherlands for a series of meetings with Dutch experts on a variety of water issues that urgently need to be addressed by Egypt. These issues included integrated coastal zone management (ICZM), rural waste water treatment and agricultural water management.
The delegation had been invited by the Egyptian-Dutch water panel to participate in the expert meetings with the Dutch water sector and site visits on 14 and 15 May.
Coastal restoration to protect the Qaitbay castle in Alexandria, Egypt.
Coastal restoration
During one of the joint sessions the Egyptian-Dutch panel discussed the issue of coastal zone management, identifying the next steps for Egypt to integrate its urgently needed coastal restoration and flood defence measures with other national development plans, including those for cities, ports and tourism and the environment.
The 1,000 km long Egyptian northern coast is vulnerable and prone to flooding, coastal erosion and pollution. Egyptian coastal authorities recognise these issues are also related to urban development, saline intrusion, agricultural and industrial water use and tourism.
Therefore, Integrated Coastal Zone Management has been on the agenda of the Egyptian-Dutch cooperation since 2014.
Major obstacles identified regarding the implementation of ICZM are the fragmentation of governance, lack of incentives for cooperation, lack of an adequate integrated legal framework and lack of clear responsibilities for the enforcement of legal regulations.
Director Mamdouh Raslan at Holding Company for Water and Wastewater (HCWW) takes a closer look at the river bank infiltration station of water supply company Oasen.
Green climate fund project
In 2017, the Netherlands aided Egypt in its successful application for the Green Climate Fund grant for climate adaptation, including coastal zone management.
The fund approved a 31.4 US dollar million project by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to protect Egypt's Nile Delta from rising sea levels due to climate change.
The project, 'Enhancing Climate Change Adaptation in the North Coast of Egypt’, will be implemented by the Egyptian Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation over seven years.
The ministry will contribute 140 million Egyptian pounds to the project, which is centred around the construction of dikes to prevent flooding of homes and farmland due to rising sea levels and extreme weather due to climate change.
The project also includes the development of a ICZM plan and the establishment of a system to monitor changes in oceanographic parameters as an effect of climate change, as well as the impact of the different shore protection scenarios on the coastal erosion and shore stability.
Impression of the coastal expansion plan for Port Said, Egypt.
New Port Said
The Egyptian delegation also talked about the plan for the outward expansion of Port Said, which comprises of land reclamation including coastal protection and economic prospects related to tourism and real estate.
The aim of the project is to protect Port Said through climate adaptation, while at the same time offering attractive development possibilities to public and private sector.
The Netherlands is ready to take on the role of trusted advisor for assistance and counselling for further project development involving all stakeholders and paying attention to social and sustainability issues.
About Egyptian-Dutch High-Level Panel
At the core of the Egyptian-Dutch cooperation is the Egyptian-Dutch High-Level Panel on Water Management. The panel meets twice a year: once a year with the water Ministers of both countries, and once a year with expert panel members.
The next panel meeting, most likely with the involvement of the water ministers of both countries, will take place in Egypt at the margin of the Cairo Water Week from 14 – 18 October 2018.
Read also on this website
● Wageningen Greenhouse Horticulture explores automated water saving irrigation in Egypt, 25 January 2015
● Egypt and the Netherlands sign MoU for five year cooperation on water resource management, 3 November 2014
● Egypt water minister Khalifa briefed on public-private partnership Dutch wwtp Harnaschpolder, 21 June 2013
● Country: Egypt
● Expertise: Enabling delta life
More information
Netherlands Water Partnership
The Hague, the Netherlands
+31 70 304 3700
www.nwp.nl