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 Phase II of the Program aims at the continuation of the
cooperation between the Governments of the Italian Republic (GOI)
and the Arab Republic of Egypt (GOE) in the field of environment,
established with Phase I that ended on 2003.
Phase
II is providing an umbrella support to Ministry of
State for Environmental Affairs (MSEA) /
EEAA in a collaborative
manner with its partner institutions to:
-
Implement
Projects for the conservation of natural resources and the protection
of the environment, which is a key policy objective of MSEA/EEAA.
-
Enhance the co-operation between key
stakeholders in addressing environmental needs in a coordinated and decentralized approach. Again, this is a policy objective of MSEA/EEAA.
-
Attain community participation and mobilization
in all relevant activities, with emphasis on the
gender-differentiated roles and impact in natural resource
management. This will definitively help MSEA/EEAA in achieving a
strategic goal.
The components of the Program are:
-
A systemic approach to
Solid Waste Management in Rural
Governorates of Egypt – Pilot development of a comprehensive
management scheme for El Minyia Governorate (SWMM)
-
Capacity Building and
Institutional Support to Nature Conservation Sector
of the MSEA/EEAA
(NCS)
-
Decision Support System for Water Resources
Planning based on Environmental Balance (DSS), second phase
-
Gabal Elba Protected Area
(GEPA)
-
Institutional Support to SCA for Environmental Monitoring and Management
of Cultural Heritage sites:
applications to Fayoum oasis and North
Saqqara Necropolis (ISSEMM)
-
Legal and Institutional Framework Project
(LIFP)
-
Program Coordination Unit (PCU), second phase
-
Siwa Environmental Amelioration Project (SEAP),
second phase
-
Wadi Rayan Protected Area (WRPA),
second phase.
 Environment
is a field that cuts across the activities of all ministries and
institutions, public and private. A successful integration of
environmental dimensions in relevant national policies, plans,
programs, projects and practices, requires close cooperation with
all stakeholders. It is expected that addressing priorities in close
association, keeping roles and responsibilities of stakeholders well
defined, as it is the case under consideration, the Program will
produce added value results by means of reinforced synergies and
integrated approach. The information generated by different
Program’s components, the multidisciplinary expertise involved,
both expatriate and local, and the links established among key
governmental and non-governmental players will likely provide
grounds to stakeholders for expanding the achieved results towards
further opportunities and challenges, strengthening common
interests, encouraging commitments and minimizing conflicts.
Based
on the above, the Program has the overall
objective of contributing
to the protection of Egypt’s natural and cultural resources and it
is based on the following principles:
-
Consolidate
the results achieved and ensure the sustainability of the activities
undertaken by each project of the Program;
-
Address
new areas of priority and of special interest to the MSEA/EEAA,
compatible with the overall objectives of Italian Cooperation;
-
Build
upon the experience and lessons learned in implementing the
various project activities.
The specific objectives are:
-
To strengthen Egyptian capacities to analyze,
plan and implement adequate measures for the conservation and
rehabilitation of natural, cultural and man-made environments;
-
To enhance current strategies and ways to
protect and expand available natural resources base, with the aim to
leading to higher productivity, reduced migration and improvement of
the living conditions in rural areas;
-
To contribute to reinforce the role of
EEAA, as
the central co-ordinating and competent body, and its partners
institutions for the protection and promotion of the environment.
The expected results will be
achieved by the different Projects, which are pursuing their
individual targets. Those are detailed in each Project document. The activities of the three years duration Program are
described in each Project document and are planned and
implemented by each Project according to approved work plans and
budgets.
The
mechanism for implementation involves:
-
Program Steering Committee
at Central level,
-
Project Executive Committees
at
Implementing Agency level,
-
Project Management Units
at Project
level, and
-
Program Coordination Unit.
The
UNDP country office
is
supporting
EEAA in the execution and implementation of the Program and
Projects within the framework of the National Execution
arrangements. UNDP is availing the services of Agreed Consultancies
for the provision of technical assistance.
The
financing is as follows:
(i)
The Italian funds, worth Euro
9,134,094, will be channeled in two ways, i.e. through UNDP
(multi-bi-lateral channel) for the bulk of the Program, and by
direct management of the technical assistance to the Program
Coordination Unit;
(ii)
The
contribution from GOE, worth LE 19,898,766, is originated
from the Italian “Debt-for-Development
Swap” operations,
agreed on February 2001 between the Italian and Egyptian
Governments, and administered through
UNDP. The above estimate
doesn’t include the in kind-contribution and administrative service
costs.
The
Program supports the implementation and development of individual
Projects, which are designed to be sustainable in the medium-long
run ranges.
Nevertheless
there are factors ensuring the sustainability, which can be
considered as common strong elements of key importance. They
include:
(i) continued
commitment of the Implementing Agencies towards the activities
undertaken and consolidation of results achieved,
(ii) capacity
building: upon its completion, trained local staff will be in
condition to ensure the continuous and proper development of the
actions undertaken, under the individual Projects and within their
respective institutions,
(iii) assets that
will remain for the advantage of the Implementing Agencies: trained
and skilled personnel, stronger institutions, tools and equipments,
infrastructures, etc.
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