Egypt has one of the most rapidly increasing populations globally, which creates the need for improved sustainable infrastructure across the board.
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has recognized this need. It intends to commit to and launch a new program to develop Egypt’s municipal infrastructure holistically – starting with renewable energy.
Daily News Egypt reports:
“We aim to help the Egyptian cities to sustainably develop their own green infrastructure master plans. The programme will engage with the cities about their needs in water, wastewater treatment, solid waste, and urban transport,” Parshad declared.
The EBRD intends to finance a number of infrastructure projects in the coming years in the Egyptian market, she said, adding, “We will not only focus on the space of renewable energy, but also in railways, municipal services, and water treatment.”
This program aims to achieve a dual purpose – both to improve infrastructure and promote gender equality in this fast-growing development sector. Port development is also on the horizon, with Egypt’s Ministry of Transport creating a master plan to be released by July 2019.
The EBRD is evaluating whether to add port projects to its contribution list. Either way, Egypt is on the verge of joining global development trends in the municipal infrastructure sector.
According to the article, by focusing on green infrastructure in Egypt’s cities and municipalities, the program also aims to develop renewable energy integration, policies and planning to meet its target to achieve 20% renewable energy generation by 2020 and 42% by 2035. People working on the program will visit countries such as Germany, China, and Japan “to identify the global practices and measures in renewable and green energy” and apply these learnings in Egypt.
Egypt Independent reports that Egypt’s Ministry of Transport announced that a plan to overhaul its railway stations, including infrastructure, rail lines, trains, and construction of new station buildings, is in progress. Out of 181 railway station projects, 120 stations have already undergone upgrades, with several in progress.
The article also shared updates on three of Egypt’s railway stations: Alexandria, Sidi Gaber, and Cairo Station, stating that most of the developments and advancements are almost completed or nearing completion between 2019 and 2020.
Africa Inc reports that Egypt has secured US$93milllion from the EBRD to fund infrastructure projects to develop new sustainable towns on Egypt’s expansive deserts.
Funds will also support the transition of the sector from private cars to public transport as a more efficient means of transportation and reduce GHG emissions.
Projects for this fund include the renovation and expansion of Tram in Alexandria, the conversion of its railways into an electric metro, and the renovation of the Cairo Metro Line 2.
Ongoing infrastructure investment is vital to assist nations in meeting demand that population growth caused and assisting with national economic modernization.
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