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Al-Ahram Weekly 18 - 24 March 1999 Issue No. 421 
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Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Al-Ahram Weekly 18 - 24 March 1999 Issue No. 421
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| Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Egypt Region International Economy Opinion Culture Profile Features Travel Living Sports People Time Out Chronicles Cartoons Letters Ripe for green investment
EGYPT is increasingly becoming a promising market for investment in the environmental field. Sherine Nasr talks to members of a US trade mission who were in Cairo recently to study the potential.Apart from investigating investment opportunities, the US trade mission was in Egypt studying ways to introduce new techniques to help solve the country's long-standing environmental problems.
"The US government is encouraging this mission as part of the Mubarak-Gore Initiative," said Tim Ogburn of the US Department of Commerce and head of the mission.
Ogburn said the visit was the result of discussions held last April with Egypt's Minister for Environmental Affairs Nadia Makram Ebeid, in the framework of the Egypt-US Partnership for Growth and Development. At that time, Ebeid stressed the need to introduce Egyptian private sector companies to the latest technologies and encouraged the setting up of joint ventures in the environmental field.
Eighteen companies specialising in water purification and monitoring, municipal and industrial waste water treatment, irrigation and hydroelectricity took part in the mission, which was organised by the State of California and the US Department of Commerce. "It was important to be very selective when choosing which companies to represent the mission," said Ogburn.
The companies selected are able to offer appropriate technology for typical Egyptian environmental problems. "We also focused on recruiting US companies with affordable, cost-effective technologies," said Corey Wright, a trade specialist and member of the mission.
Members of the mission said they were impressed by the scale of investment potential in the environmental field. According to Ogburn, a recent study conducted by the US Department of Commerce revealed that there are $800 million worth of investments available in this field in Egypt. "Egypt is one of the most attractive markets in the Middle East," said Ogburn.
"We discussed the possibility of planting different vegetables in the Egyptian desert through the application of a newly-introduced technique to minimise the use of water," said Joseph Paternoster, president of DRiWATER, which specialises in producing water-rationing products.
Other environmentally friendly initiatives presented during the delegation's visit was a proposal for the implementation of waste water recycling techniques, the use of solar energy in pumping water and the safe disposal of hazardous hospital waste.
UNIDO in Cairo
THE UNITED NATIONS Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) has opened its first field office in Cairo to promote closer industrial cooperation between the government, the private sector and the academic community.The office will also take part in developing a comprehensive programme for sustainable industrialisation in Egypt, providing specialised technical and managerial services and helping to secure funding.
William Holaday, UNIDO representative in Cairo, said the aim of the office is to assist the government and private sector in generating jobs and help small- and medium-sized enterprises be more competitive in producing goods for domestic consumption and export. The office will also help businesses adopt environmentally friendly technologies.
UNIDO is currently involved in five projects in Egypt. One new project will give small businesses producing leather goods access to improved designs, better technology and business advice. Another project aims to help industry phase out the use of ozone-depleting substances in products such as refrigerants, foams and propellants.
