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Enhancing
Italian-Egyptian Environmental
Cooperation
On 25th
October 2004 the Italian Ambassador to Cairo, H.E.Antonio Badini, and
the Egyptian Minister of State for Environmental Affairs, H. E. Maged
George signed the Agreed Minutes of the meeting held in Cairo
which was aimed at finding new means to enhance sustainable and
effective activities in the environmental sector.
The agreement falls in
the framework of the exceptional and fruitful cooperation between the
two Countries made up of bilateral, regional and international
Conventions which see, among the others, the Memorandum of Understanding
signed in Cairo on 24/3/1998 between the Government of Italy (GOI) and
the Government of Egypt (GOE), and its additional Agreement signed in
Cairo on February 2000, concerning the cooperation program of
Institutional Support to the EEAA to improve planning capabilities for
rehabilitation and protection of natural and cultural environmental
resources, in addition to the two Project Implementation Agreements (PIAs)
signed in January 2004 within the framework of
Debt for
Development Swap Initiative. The two officials decided to review the activities
of the existing projects in order to implement mainly those field
activities able to produce sustainable and concrete impact in reducing
environmental pollution as well as in the conservation of natural
resources.
Sign of two important contracts between
Italy and Egypt for the realization of a New Technological Centre
providing assistance to Egyptian tanneries.
Agreement between Assomac And Egyptian
Ministry of Industry and Foreign Trade
On 10th October 2004, ASSOMAC
(Italian Leather Industries Association) signed with IMC
(Egyptian General Organization for the Industrial and Mining Projects –
Ministry of Industry and Foreign Trade) an important contract agreement
for the realization of the New Robaiki Leather Industrial District in
Badr City – Cairo.
On the basis of this agreement, leading
Association ASSOMAC will provide all the necessary technical assistance
to the project and will release consulting services to Egyptian
tanneries through a new specialized Technological Center.
The new industrial District in Badr City
will put up more then 100 specialized companies and tanneries that will
be transferred and relocated from Magra El-Eyoun, in Old Cairo, to the
new settlement.
The agreement is part of the contribution
of the Italian Development Cooperation Aid project, through the funds
put on disposal by the Italy-Egypt Debt Swap Agreement.
Visit of the
Italian vice Prime Minister, On. Gianfranco
Fini
Visit of the
Italian vice Prime Minister, On. Gianfranco Fini, related to
strengthening the consolidated political dialogue among Italy and Egypt.
Italy has always set
great importance to the progress of the Middle East developments mainly
in the light of its excellent bilateral relations with Egypt.
In this framework, on
2 and 3 October the Italian vice Prime Minister, On. Gianfranco
Fini, visited Cairo with the objective of strengthening the already
consolidated political dialogue at the highest level among the two
countries.
During his mission,
the first in an Arab country, On. Gianfranco Fini held a number of
political-institutional talks. On 2 October he met the Secretary
General of the Arab League H.E. Amr Moussa and on 3 October, he
met the President of Arab Republic of Egypt H.E. Hosni Mubarak,
the Prime Minister H.E. Ahmed Nazif, the Minister of Foreign
Affairs H.E. Ahmed Abul Gheit and the Great Imam of “Al-Azhar”
H.E. Mohamed Tantawi.
Visit of General
Director for the Italian Cooperation for Development, Minister Giuseppe
Deodato, related to the launch of a Partnership
Agreement ad hoc.
First visit in
Cairo of General Director for the Italian Cooperation for Development,
Minister Giuseppe Deodato
On September 11 and
12, 2004, was carried out in Cairo the first visit of General
Director for the Italian Cooperation for Development, Minister Giuseppe
Deodato.
The mission of
Minister Deodato fell within the framework of the excellent bilateral
relationships with Egypt and, in particular, it underlined the
importance which Italy gave to the field of the Development Cooperation.
For this reason, they intend to launch a Preliminary Agreement ad hoc.
During talks Minister
Deodato had with Minister of the International Cooperation, Faiza
Abul Naga, and Minister of Culture, Farouk Hosny, it have
been faced the following topics:
-
the agreement on
Debt
for Development Swap, which intends to converts the Egyptian
debt into assets for development projects. The current agreement
concerns a total budget of 149 million Dollars, of which 92 million
are already converted. Thanks to these assets, Egypt is realizing 47
projects;
-
the important
enterprise for carrying out the
new
Egyptian Museum and the Italian and Egyptian restoration
center in the
Red Palace of Muhammad Ali’s Citadel. With the Italian
support, this center will let to realize an acceptance one for the
Country and the Region.
The ongoing projects
are more than 80 on a total invested amount of about 330 million Euros.
The main intervention fields of the Italian Cooperation in Egypt, are:
-
Poverty Alleviation
Program,
which is based on micro-credit in the Governatorates of Giza and Minia,
and has already involved 25.000 families and 70 million EGP;
-
Public Health,
faced with a program of rehabilitation and building of 45 health care
units in the Governatorate of Beheira;
-
Support
to the Egyptian Small and Medium Enterprises,
through a Line of Credit of a total amount of 80 million Euros;
-
Development
of eco-compatible tourism, through the
Italian and Egyptian project of environmental protection and
valorization. The total amount of intervention is 15 million Euros,
which includes the development and management of Al Fayoum and Siwa’s
protected areas.
During meetings,
Italian and Egyptian parts reached the conclusion of a Partnership
Agreement, which let to cooperation's agreements between Italy, Egypt
and others African countries.
Signature of a Memorandum of
Understanding
between both Egyptian and Italian
Ministers
of Health Tag el Din and Girolamo
Sirchia, with reference to the scientific
cooperation in the field of health and medical specialities.
From
September 25 through 27, 2004, Prof. Girolamo
Sirchia, Italian Minister of Health, was
in Cairo for an official visit.
The
Minister was accompanied by a delegation of Italian experts among which
the Director of the Innovation Department of the Ministry of Health
Prof. Vittorio
Silano, the Director of the General Directorate for
International and EU relations Dr. Claudio De
Giuli, the Director of the General Directorate for
Communication and Institutional Relations Dr. Roberto
Iadiccio, the Scientific Director of
the Mediterranean Institute of Hematology
Prof. Guido Lucarelli and the famous
haematologist Prof. Franco Mandelli.
Minister
Sirchia met H.E.
Awad Tag el Din, Egyptian Minister of Health and
Population, to exchange talks focused on the scientific cooperation
in the field of health and medical specialities (cancer diseases, blood
diseases, organ transplants and stem cells) between the two countries,
in order to exchange information, documentation, medical specialists and
define joint research interventions and health service provision.
During
the visit, Minister G. Sirchia signed a
memorandum of understanding with the Minister Tag el Din as an
institutional framework for the collaboration between Egypt and Italy.
The
Italian Regional Assembly of Tuscany and the Conference of European
Regional Assemblies (CALRE) organized in Florence the First Conference
on the Decentralization with the participation of Governor of Minia and
Giza.
“Decentralization: the new
dimension of Peace Democracy and Development"
In the light of the pivotal role played by
local and regional authorities in promoting local sustainable
development, the Italian Regional Assembly of Tuscany and the Conference
of European Regional Assemblies (CALRE) organized the I Conference
of the European and African Regional Assemblies "Decentralization:
the new dimension of Peace Democracy and Development", held in
Florence on 17-18 September 2004.
The Conference saw the participation
of the Governor of Minia H.E.Hassan Hemida, the Governor of
Giza H.E. Fathy Saad and the Secretary of
Giza's CDA(Community Development Association)
Mr. Abu El Hamed El Gales. Minia and Giza are the Governorates where the
Italian NGO
COSPE
is implementing several development projects.
To present the initiative a press
conference, at the presence of the two Governors and the Italian
Ambassador H.E. Antonio Badini, was hold at the Italian Embassy on 8
September.
On August 29, 2004,
at the Minister of Education’s Office, H.E. the Italian Ambassador
Antonio Badini will hand a copy of the book Friends of the
Mediterranean to H.E. the Minister Dr. Ahmed Gamal El Din
Moussa in the presence of the local press.
Friends of the
Mediterranean
is the new Italian language text book for Egyptian public
schools, 4000 copies of which will be presented by the Italian
Government to the Egyptian Government.
The book is the
product of the efforts of a working group of specialists from the
University of Siena for Foreigners. This new text book, which has also
been reviewed in Egypt by an Italian-Egyptian technical committee, aims
at being a modern and effective means for teaching Italian in schools.
The initiative falls
within the framework of the policies for the promotion of the Italian
language being carried out according to the Memorandum of
Understanding with the Ministry of Education, signed on February 28,
2004. The purpose of the MoU is to promote a number of significant
initiatives for the diffusion of the Italian language, whose importance
is growing both due to the constantly increasing tourist flows, and to
Italy’s primary position in bilateral trade.
A further support to
these policies will be provided by the creation of permanent training
courses for teachers in Egypt, by the establishment of scholarships to
Italy for meritorious students, teachers and inspectors, and by
supplying audiovisual material and books.
بيان صحفى
سوف
يقوم سعادة سفير إيطاليا بالقاهرة أنطونيو بادينى يوم التاسع و العشرين من
أغسطس 2004 بمكتب سعادة وزير التربية و التعليم، بإهداء نسخة من كتاب
"اصدقاء البحر المتوسط Amici
del Mediterraneo" لسعادة وزير التربية و التعليم،
د/ أحمد جمال الدين موسى ، و ذلك فى حضور السادة ممثلى الصحافة المحلية.
"
أصدقاء البحر المتوسط"
هو كتاب اللغة الإيطالية المدرسى الجديد الخاص بالمدارس الحكومية المصرية و
الذى تهدى الحكومة الإيطالية منه 4000 نسخة هدية للحكومة المصرية.
إن
ذلك الكتاب هو ثمرة جهد نخبة من أخصائيى التعليم بجامعة الأجانب بمدينة
سيينا الإيطالية، و قد تمت مراجعته فى مصر بواسطة لجنة فنية مصرية -
إيطالية مشتركة و يعتبر ذلك الكتاب طريقة جديدة و فعالة لتدريس اللغة
الإيطالية فى المدارس.
إن
ذلك الحدث يأتى فى إطار سياسة نشر اللغة الإيطالية و التى تأتى فى مرحلة
التنفيذ بعد توقيع مذكرة التفاهم مع وزارة التربية والتعليم بتاريخ
28/2/2004، بهدف صياغة مجموعة من المبادرات التى تهدف إلى زيادة إنتشارلغة
لهاأهمية كبرى سواء من الناحية السياحية من أجل جذب المزيد من السياح
الإيطاليين إلى مصر أو من الناحية التجارية من أجل زيادة التبادل التجارى.
و
لأجل مزيد من الدفع لتلك السياسة فسوف يتم تنظيم دورات تدريبية للمدرسين و
منح بعثات دراسية للطلبة المتفوقين و تزويد المدرسين و المفتشين بالكتب و
بالأجهزة السمعية و البصرية الحديثة.
On August 12th 2004
in Abu el Nomros with presence of local authorities, the Director
of Italian Cooperation Mr. Nino Merola will open the
Community Media Centre created
by the Italian NGO
COSPE
and the CDA of Abu el Nomros in the framework of a 3 years cooperation
project funded by Italy.
The Centre, supplied
with the ultimate ICT technologies, gives courses based on the
International Computer Driving Licence framework and operates like an
Internet Cafe', a Computer Music Space for children, Movie Making Crew
and Science Club for teenagers.
The idea is to use new
technologies to cope with poverty not only providing courses at low
cost to facilitate the entry in the labour market but fighting against
marginalization giving opportunities to the youngest generations to
exchange ideas world wide, express themselves and be exposed to
different cultures, becoming familiar with communication technologies
enhancing the participation and citizenship awareness.
In order to achieve
sustainable development and provide more opportunities to the local
Communities the Centre adopt a strategy of exclusive free/open source
software in order to minimize costs and constraints promoting the free
access, use, improvement and exchange of technologies and applications.
From July 12 trough 14, a high-level delegation of Italian
businessmen headed by Mr. Andrea Batazzi, representative of
Italia Lavoro and appointed by the Italian Ministry of Labour to follow
up the recruitment of Egyptian workers in Italy, will be in Cairo on an
official mission.
The visit takes place
in the framework of the Memorandum of Understanding on the
regulation of Egyptian workers flows to Italy signed on January 19, 2004
by the Head of Emigration and Egyptian Abroad Department of the
Ministry of Manpower, Mr. Moustafa Abdel Monsef, and the
Assistant Minister for Immigration Affairs of the Italian Ministry of
Labour, Dr. Giuseppe Silveri. Dr. Silveri already carried out a
follow up visit to Egypt in March 2004.
The agreement aims at
regulating the legal migration of Egyptian workers to Italy,
taking into account the requirements of the Italian labour market,
particularly in the fields of agriculture, tourism and construction.
Purpose of the visit is
making a pre-selection of specific professional figures (painters,
masons, floor layers, tile settlers, blacksmiths), as part of the pilot
project of selection and training of Egyptian workers.
During the visit, the
Italian delegation is expected to meet with the Italian Ambassador to
Egypt H.E. Antonio Badini, with the Minister of Manpower and Emigration
Mr. Mostafa Abdel Monsef and with officials of the Emigration Section of
the said Ministry.
The delegation will
also visit renowned educational and professional training centres in
Egypt, such as the American University of Cairo, the Cairo University
and the Italian Institute “Don Bosco”.
It is worth mentioning
that the authority responsible for the selection of Egyptian workers
interested in job opportunities in Italy is the Ministry of Manpower and
Emigration.
بيان صحفي
من
الثانى عشر
حتى
الرابع عشرمن
يوليو
سيأتى إلى القاهرة فى مهمة رسمية
وفد
رفيع
المستوى من رجال الأعمال الإيطاليين
. و يرأس الوفد
السيد/
أندريا باتاتسي الذي يمثل
مؤسسة "إيطاليا لاﭬـورو" . و تعتبر
الزيارة
تطبيق
لتوجيهات
وزير العمل الايطالي
من أجل متابعة موضوع تشغيل
العمالة المصرية في ايطاليا.
و تأتى
الزيارة
فى
اطار مذكرة التفاهم الخاصة
بتنظيم تدفق
العمالة المصرية
إلى
ايطاليا والتي قام بتوقيعها
فى
19 يناير 2004 السيد/ مصطفى عبد المنصف – رئيس
قطاع
الهجرة
و المصريين المغتربين
بوزارة القوى العاملة المصرية والدكتور/ جوزيبي سيلفيري – مساعد وزير شئون
الهجرة الايطالي بوزارة
العمل
الايطالية. ولقد قام الدكتور سيلفيري بزيارة
سابقة
لمصر في شهر مارس 2004من
أجل
متابعة
الموضوع.
و
يهدف الاتفاق الى تنظيم الهجرة الشرعية للعمالة المصرية
إلى
ايطاليا،
مع أخذ
متطلبات سوق العمل الايطالي في الاعتبار ،
و خاصة
في مجالات
الزراعة
و
السياحة
و التشييد.
تهدف الزيارة الى القيام باختيار
مبدئى لمتخصصين
في مجالات محددة مثل (اعمال الدهانات – اعمال البناء – اعمال الارضيات –
اعمال التبليط – اعمال الحدادة) كجزء من المشروع
الارشادى
لاختيار وتدريب العمالة المصرية.
من المتوقع
أن
يلتقي الوفد الايطالي خلال الزيارة بالسفير الايطالي/ انطونيو باديني
والسيد/ مصطفى عبد المنصف – رئيس
قطاع
الهجرة بوزارة القوى العاملة المصرية وكذلك
بمسئولى قطاع
الهجرة بالوزارة.
كما سيقوم
الوفد الايطالي بزيارة بعض المراكز التعليمية والمهنية المعروفة مثل
الجامعة الامريكية بالقاهرة وجامعة القاهرة وكذلك المعهد الفني الايطالي
"دون بوسكو".
ومن الجدير بالذكر ان وزارة القوى العاملة والهجرة
المصرية
هي
الجهة المختصة باختيار
العمال المصريين المهتمين بفرص العمل
المتاحة فى إيطاليا.
Signature of a
Memorandum of Understanding between the
Governments of Egypt and Italy with particular reference to the field of
clean technology in transportation, energy policy and air quality in
urban areas.
On June 21, 2004, the Egyptian Minister of State for
Environmental Affairs, H.E. Dr. Mamdouh Riad, and the Italian
Ambassador in Egypt, H.E. Antonio Badini, signed a Memorandum of
Understanding between Italy and Egypt.
The MoU was signed at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the presence of
the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, H.E. Dr. Fayza Abou El Naga.
In an effort to strengthen the relations between the government of Egypt
and Italy, the Italian Government proposed a bi-lateral agreement with
particular reference to the field of clean technology in
transportation, energy policy and air quality in urban areas.
Through this MOU both sides will identify a list of projects that will
affect air quality in Egypt by reducing pollution in congested urban
areas using innovative clean technologies in the above-mentioned
activities, enlarging also the use of natural gas.
The MOU is part of the MEDA 2 Program of the European Union for funding
projects in the Mediterranean non EU countries.
This activity has been promoted by the Italian National Research
Council of Naples (Engine Institute) involving other Mediterranean
Arab Countries (Morocco-Syria- Lebanon-Tunisia).
Arabia Gas is appointed by both parties as a coordinating body to
identify and to develop the technical work plan of the project.
مذكرة تفاهم فى
مجال التكنولوجيا النظيفة
بين حكومة
الجمهورية الإيطالية و حكومة جمهورية مصر العربية
فى
الحادى و العشرين من يونيو 2004 ، وقع وزير الدولة لشئون البيئة دكتور
ممدوح رياض و سفير إيطاليا بالقاهرة أنطونيو بادينى مذكرة تفاهم بين
إيطاليا و مصر.
و قد تم توقيع مذكرة التفاهم بمقر وزارة
الخارجية فى حضور وزيرة الدولة للشئون الخارجية السيدة/ فايزة أبو النجا.
و رغبة فى توطيد العلاقات بين حكومتى مصر
و إيطاليا ، إقترحت الحكومة الإيطالية اتفاقا ثنائيا بين الحكومتين يتناول
بصفة خاصة مجال التكنولوجيا النظيفة فى قطاعات النقل و سياسات الطاقة و
جودة الهواء فى المناطق السكنية.
و بموجب مذكرة التفاهم هذه سيحدد الطرفان
قائمة بالمشروعات التى ستؤثر على جودة الهواء فى مصر من خلال خفض التلوث فى
المناطق السكنية المزدحمة باستخدام تكنولوجيا نظيفة مستحدثة فى الأنشطة
المذكورة أعلاه و كذلك من خلال التوسع فى استخدام الغاز الطبيعى.
و مذكرة التفاهم تعتبر جزء من برنامج
ميدا 2 التابع للاتحاد الأوروبى. و هو برنامج لتمويل المشروعات فى الدول
البحرمتوسطية غير المنتمية للاتحاد الأوروبى.
و يقوم المجلس القومى الإيطالى للأبحاث
بنابولى (معهد الطاقة) بتشجيع هذه المبادرة التى تضم دولا عربية متوسطية
أخرى (المغرب – سوريا – لبنان – تونس)
و قد اختار الطرفان آرابيا جاز لتكون
الجهة المعنية بالتنسيق لتحديد خطة الأعمال الفنية للمشروع.
INVESTING IN THE FUTURE OF IN
SHARM EL SHEIKH
On
June 12, 2004, the Italian Embassy in Cairo, in collaboration with the
Governorate of South Sinai and with the cooperation of the Sharm el
Sheikh Association of Investors, organized a round table on the
development of tourism in Sharm el Sheikh at the Movempick Jolie
Ville in Naama Bay.
Sharm,
for the massive presence of Italians, has become a place whose future
development concerns not only Egypt but Italy as well. For these
reasons, representatives of the two countries and sector operators
organized this meeting, which was focused on the “resource” tourism and
the most appropriate ways to implement it.
The
round table was opened by H.E. Ambassador Antonio Badini and by H.E. the
Governor of South Sinai Mustafa Afifi. The Minister of Tourism H.E.
Mahmud Beltagi and the Minister for the Enviroment H.E. Riad Tadros also
attended the meeting. The responsible of the different sectors of the
Italian Embassy, of the Cultural Institute and of the Italian Consulate
in Cairo, Sharm el Sheikh investors and sectors operators intervened.
Several important issues were discussed like the priority of protecting
Sharm`s natural resources (see environmental programme Italian
Cooperation for Development), the possible improvements in the quality
of services offered to tourists - in the first place means of
transportation and sanitary services-, the development of local
handicrafts, and the possibility of promoting new tourist segments, like
sport, congress, and therapeutic tourism.
ALESSANDRO GOPPION`S VISIT TO
EGYPT
From
June 13 through 17, Italian Architect Alessandro Goppion, holder
of “Studio Museotecnico Goppion”, the leading Italian company in
displaying systems
for museums and libraries, visited Cairo. Alessandro Goppion realized
projects for prestigious international institutions, like the British
Museum, the Louvre and the Bibliotheca Alexandrina
in Egypt. In Cairo, Goppion met the Egyptian authorities and evaluated
the possibility of being part of the team that Italy intends to provide
for the realization of the New Egyptian Museum.
Italy`s ambition of becoming the Egyptian partner in the realization of
the new museum is based on its historical tradition of collaboration
between the two countries in the archaeological field. Italian
archaeologists discovered important sites, the Greek and Roman Museum of
Alexandria was founded and directed for a long time by Italians, and
Papyrology itself received important contributions by the Italian
Archaeologist Breccia. In addition to this, Italy contributed to the
salvation of the ancient Egyptian monuments threatened after the
creation of Lake Nasser, moving Isis` temple to Philae.
Important names of Italian archaeologists – Sergio Donadoni, Edda
Bresciani, Paolo Gallo - will be part of the scientific committee that
is working on the selection of the collections which, once restored and
organized, will be shifted to the New Egyptian Museum.
Conference on “The Legal Aspects for
production and commercialization of Horticultural Crops”
On June 6, 2004, from 8.30 a.m. to 2.30
p.m., a conference on “The Legal Aspects for production and
commercialization of Horticultural Crops” has been held at the premises
of the Agricultural Genetic Engineering Research Institute (AGERI), in
the Agricultural Reasearch Center. The conference, organized by the
Union of Producers and Exporters of Horticultural Crops (UPEHC) in
cooperation with the Italian Embassy in Cairo and the European
Center J. Monnet of Rome, focused on the juridical aspects of the
harmonization of technical rules of production and commercialization of
agri-food products in the Mediterranean area. Commercial aspects
concerning the production and commercialization of Mediterranean
products to be exported to Europe as well as Egypt/UPEHC export and
partnership opportunities were also discussed during the conference.
The event has been
included in the framework of the protocol on the “Green Corridor”
initiative launched in February 2002 by the Italian and the Egyptian
Ministers of Agriculture, and warmly encouraged by the Italian Embassy
in Cairo. The “Green Corridor” project aims to establish a
permanent and effective channel for the commercialization of Egyptian
agricultural products and their export to the Italian and European
markets through three means: facilitating agricultural production, port
procedures and maritime transportation.
25th April 2004
Second edition of the MEDITERRE and
signature of the Twinning and Cooperation Agreement between the Italian
National Park of the Gran Sasso and the Laga Mountains and the protected
area of Wady El Rayan in Fayoum
From the
22nd to the 25th April, an Egyptian delegation led by Prof.
Moustafa Fouda, Head of Nature Conservation Sector of the Egyptian
Environmental Affairs Agency (EEAA) participated to the Second edition
of the MEDITERRE, an event dedicated to parks and natural
protected areas throughout the Mediterranean. The Egyptian delegation
also included the Directors of the protected areas of Siwa and Gabal
Elba, representatives of the Ministry of Tourism and the Supreme Council
of Antiquities. The aim of the event is to promote, through the
establishment of a network, the exchange of ideas and common projects
among the various entities involved in the management of these areas.
The event took place in the attractive setting of Otranto Castle (near
Lecce, Italy),
The event has
seen the participation of twenty-three nations overlooking the
Mediterranean Sea (Gibraltar, Spain, France, Principality of Monaco,
Italy, Malta, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Montenegro,
Albania, Greece, Turkey, Cyprus, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya,
Egypt, Israel, Palestine, Lebanon and Syria), plus Portugal, Andorra,
Macedonia, Serbia and Jordan, whose nature, culture and history have
always been significantly influenced by the Mediterranean sea.
The Egyptian
participation has been of great importance, given the extension of
Egyptian protected areas which were at the centre of discussion for a
full day (23.04.04). The Egyptian stand has been one of the most
visited; among the visitors also the Italian vice Prime Minister
Gianfranco Fini and the Italian Minister of Environment Altero
Matteoli. Prof. Moustafa Fouda, addressing a large audience,
illustrated the Egyptian policy in managing protected areas and
underlined the importance of the Italian cooperation in the field of
environment. An 18 ml. euros program (6 of which have been already made
available in the last three years) is under implementation with the
Egyptian Ministry of Environment. Egypt's key role in the Mediterranean
network has been confirmed by the signature of the Twinning and
Cooperation Agreement between the Italian National Park of the Gran
Sasso and the Laga Mountains and the protected area of Wady El Rayan
in Fayoum. The protocol has been signed at Otranto on 25th
April 2004, in the presence of the Italian Minister of Environment, by
Prof. Moustafa Fouda and Mr. Aldo Cosentino, General Director for
Environment Protection of the Italian Ministry of Environment.
This
evening (March 30th,
2004), an
important agreement between two
Poverty Alleviation Programme (PAP) agencies will be signed at
the premises of the Italian Cultural Institute, in the framework of the
activities organized for the Italian-sponsored Minia Promotion Week.
The two
local agencies, from the Governorates of Minia and Giza,
are part of the Italian-funded Poverty Alleviation Programme, focusing
on the mechanisms for local poverty alleviation and job creation.
These
agencies are composed of 28 associations for the development of local
communities, which participate to the project of “rotating loans”,
financed by an Italian grant to Egypt. As of today these agencies
managed to organize and allocate more than 23.000 credits (for an
overall amount of more than 80 millions LE) to workers and
beneficiaries with a minimum salary or without income.
Through
this agreement, the two agencies will facilitate and help the mutual
promotion of craft items and goods produced by the targeted workers of
the two Governorates. Among the other activities, the collaboration will
provide useful exchange of experience, training, and support for the
organization of exhibitions.
بيان
صحفى
سيتم مساء اليوم توقيع اتفاق
هام بين وكالتى برنامج الحد من الفقر و ذلك بمقر المعهد الثقافى الإيطالى
فى إطار أنشطة أسبوع الترويج لمحافظة المنيا الممول من الجانب الإيطالى.
إن الوكالتين المحليتين
تنتميان إلى محافظتى المنيا و الجيزة و هما جزء من برنامج الحد من الفقر
الممول من إيطاليا و يتركز نشاط الوكالتين على محاربة الفقر و خلق فرص عمل
جديدة فى المحافظتين.
إن هاتين الوكالتين تتكونان من
28 جمعية تعمل من أجل تنمية المجتمعات المحلية التى تشارك فى مشروع القروض
الدوارة الممول من منحة إيطالية مقدمة لمصر. و بدءا من اليوم ستتمكن
الوكالتان من تنظيم منح أكثر من 23 ألف قرض تبلغ قيمتها الإجمالية أكثر من
80 مليون جنيه مصرى. ستخصص هذه القروض للعمال و للمستفيدين من ذوى الدخل
المنخفض أو من معدومى الدخل.
كما ستقوم الوكالتان من خلال
هذا الاتفاق بتيسير الترويج المتبادل للمصنوعات و السلع التى ينتجها العمال
الموجه إليهم البرنامج فى المحافظتين. و من بين الأنشطة الأخرى سيقدم هذا
التعاون تبادلا مفيدا للخبرات و التدريب و الدعم لتنظيم المعارض.
$US 16 Million Program for
Environmental Management
Launch of the second phase of the Egyptian-Italian Environment
Co-operation Program
Egypt’s Minister of State for Environmental Affairs will host on 7 March
2004, a signing ceremony for nine projects under the second phase of the
Egyptian-Italian Environment Co-operation Program (EIECP). Under
the sponsorship of the Ministry of State for Environmental Affairs, the
Italian Government and the United Nations Development Program, the
projects will be funded from bilateral Italian assistance
amounting to US$11.2 million and an
Italian debt-for-development swap of US$ 4.4 million.
According to Italian Ambassador, Antonio
Badini, “These projects will provide Egyptian decision-makers with a
number of lessons-learned and best practices, which could be used as the
basis for developing national policies for protecting and conserving
Egypt’s diverse and rich environment”.
Over the next 3 years, EIECP II will
implement a series of projects aimed at supporting the management of
Egypt’s natural resources. The program will test a number of innovative
methods for better managing some of Egypt’s most precious natural
assets, while also providing a means to overcome poverty and generate
secure livelihoods for people in those regions where the 9 projects will
be implemented. This will include developing methods for managing solid
waste in Minya, introducing techniques for sustainable agriculture in
Siwa, conserving ancient cultural heritage sites and monuments at
Saqqara and Fayoum and testing a decision support system for
water resources. In addition the programme will create income-generating
opportunities through eco-tourism in the protected areas of Siwa,
Wadi Rayan and Gabal Elba. A tenth project, worth US $
1.1 will also be signed (Biomap), which will aim to protect Egypt’s
natural heritage and biodiversity.
بيان صحفى
برنامج لادارة البيئة بتكلفة 16 مليون دولار
اطلاق المرحلة الثانية من برنامج التعاون المصرى الإيطالى
للبيئة.
سيستضيف وزير شئون البيئة المصرى يوم 7 مارس 2004 مراسم الاحتفال بتوقيع
تسعة مشروعات تضمها المرحلة الثانية من برنامج التعاون المصرى الإيطالى
للبيئة. و سيتم تحت رعاية وزارة الدولة لشئون البيئة و الحكومة الإيطالية
و برنامج الأمم المتحدة الإنمائى تمويل هذه المشروعات من خلال منحة إيطالية
مقدارها 2, 11 مليون دولار بالإضافة إلى 4, 4 مليون دولار من أموال برنامج
مبادلة الديون الإيطالية.
و طبقا لما صرح به السفير الإيطالي فإن "هذه المشروعات ستمد صانعى القرار
المصريين بعدد من الدروس المستفادة و أفضل الخبرات لتكون بمثابة قاعدة
لتطوير السياسات الوطنية لحماية البيئة المصرية الثرية".
و خلال الثلاثة أعوام القادمة سيقوم برنامج التعاون المصرى الإيطالى
للبيئة - فى مرحلته الثانية – بتنفيذ مجموعة من المشروعات تهدف إلى دعم
إدارة الموارد الطبيعية فى مصر. كما سيختبر البرنامج عددا من الأساليب
الجديدة من أجل إدارة أفضل لبعض من أغلى ثروات مصر الطبيعية ، بينما يقدم
فى الوقت ذاته وسائل للتغلب على الفقر و تأمين فرص معيشة للمواطنين فى تلك
المناطق التى سيتم تنفيذ التسعة | 
The
El Fustat district has been known for its excellent pottery for
centuries. The villagers have been forced to move many times because of
the city expansion, which has had a devastating effect on both the
pottery production as well as their social life. Finally the Governorate
decided to donate the land to the craftsmen themselves, and the