Global Eco-Industrial Parks Programme in Egypt

“Towards More Sustainable and Profitable Industrial Parks”

 

Polaris Parks Premises, 6th of October, Giza, Egypt

Thursday, 18th May, 2023

Industrial development is considered an essential component of Egypt’s sustainable development strategies as well as the development of the Egyptian economy in general. While increasing in raw material, energy and water prices in addition to increasing in the interest in limiting the negative effects of the climate change, the sustainability at both levels of the factory and the industrial park has become an essential element for increasing the profitability and the competitiveness of the industrial sector.

In this context a capacity building workshop organized by United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and Polaris Parks – 6th of October will bring together international and national experts, companies from industrial parks, as well as recycling companies and service providers. The workshop was held on 18th May, 2023 and present the concepts, challenges and benefits of Eco-Industrial Parks (EIP), Resource Efficiency and Cleaner Production (RECP) and Industrial Symbiosis (IS).

The workshop aimed to raise the awareness of all stakeholders of the previous principles as a first step to work with the industrial park management and the companies operating in it during the next year to implement these principles and concepts. The workshop will pave the way to the participants in starting the journey towards increasing the profitability and sustainability of the industrial park and increasing economic, social and environmental performance. This is in addition to creating added value to the industrial park, increasing competitive advantage and benefiting from green financing programs.

Workshop attendees included many private sector industrial factories, governmental entities, waste management service providers and recyclers and other industrial parks developers. The attendees, in general, emphasized the importance of the previous trends and discussed the challenges that may face the implementation of these principles and how to overcome them. Also, Polaris Industrial Parks has confirmed its intention to move towards environmental sustainability and to support the companies operating in it in this regard.

While Ministry of Trade and Industry (MoTI), Egyptian Environmental Affairs Agency (EEAA), Waste Management Regulatory Authority (WMRA), the Industrial Modernization Center, and the 6th of October City Authority expressed that the shift towards an Eco-Industrial Parks is an integral part of the industrial development strategies in Egypt.

GEIPP Egypt is implemented under the framework of the Global Eco-Industrial Parks Programme (GEIPP) in Developing and Transition Countries currently funded by Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) and implemented by UNIDO in cooperation with the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MoTI). It aims at demonstrating the benefits of EIP approaches in scaling up resource productivity and improving economic, environmental and social performances of businesses and thereby contributing to inclusive and sustainable industrial development.