AASTMT and German Partners Hold Workshop on Waste Management, Sanitation, and Water Sustainability

Dr. Manal Awad, Minister of Local Development, and Lieutenant General Ahmed Khaled Hassan Said, Governor of Alexandria, participated today in the opening of a workshop focused on recent advancements in waste management and the implementation of international standards—particularly the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) system. The event was organized in coordination with the German side, the Alexandria Governorate, and the Arab Academy for Science, Technology & Maritime Transport.

Lieutenant General Ahmed Khaled emphasized that environmental waste management and the development of sustainable waste solutions are among the highest national priorities for Egypt’s institutions, in line with President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi’s directives to protect the environment, reduce pollution, combat climate change, achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, realize Egypt’s Vision 2030, and implement the National Climate Change Strategy 2050.

He highlighted key projects implemented in Alexandria, including:

• The Integrated Strategy for Stormwater Management, which aims to partially separate stormwater and sewage networks in areas severely affected by winter “Nawat” storms due to climate change impacts;
• The “Alam ‘Nile’” sanitary landfill, built to international standards for solid waste disposal; and
• The “Sludge Project”, which reduces sludge production at the city’s wastewater treatment plant by removing volatile substances through anaerobic digestion and lowering polymer consumption.

For her part, Dr. Manal Awad announced that since 2019, local investments totaling EGP 25 billion have been directed toward municipal solid waste management and environmental improvement projects across Egyptian governorates, in collaboration with the Ministry of Environment and other partner ministries and agencies.

She noted the continuous follow-up by President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and Prime Minister Dr. Mostafa Madbouly on solid waste management initiatives nationwide, aiming to achieve a qualitative leap in cleanliness standards for the benefit of citizens in all governorates.

Dr. Awad further stressed that infrastructure upgrades in the solid waste sector go hand-in-hand with enhancing human capacity and institutional capabilities within local administration. She highlighted the integration of digital tools, such as the Smart Waste Management Tool, which has already been adopted in Dakahlia and Alexandria and is being rolled out to additional cities across the country.

The event was attended by:

• Major General Alaa Abdel Maati, Governor of Kafr El-Sheikh;
• Major General Tarek Marzouk, Governor of Dakahlia;
• Dr. Ismail Abdel Ghaffar, President of the Arab Academy for Science, Technology & Maritime Transport;
• Dr. Alaa Abdel Bary, Vice President of the Academy and Director of the TOMALEE Local Project at the Academy;
• Dr. Abdullah Nassour, Director of the TOMASi Project at the University of Rostock (Germany), and Chairman of the German RICH Consortium;
• Representatives from various Egyptian ministries and government agencies; and
• International development partners from the German side.