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6th of Oct. City becomes 1st of three Egyptian cities to complete greening action plan
The 6th of October City became the first of three Egyptian cities – included under the Green Cities program of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) – to complete its Green City Action Plan (GCAP).
Heike Harmgart, Managing Director for the Southern and Eastern Mediterranean (SEMED) of EBRD, said 6th of October City is the first city in Egypt to complete and launch its greening action plan, voicing hope that similar steps would be taken for greening Cairo and Alexandria.
He said this achievement is the fruit of cooperation with the Egyptian Ministry of International Cooperation under the EBRD’s Green Cities program.
The purpose of the €2.5 billion EBRD Green Cities program is to provide finance to invest in sustainable municipal infrastructure to help cities become greener. With almost three-quarters of greenhouse gas emissions coming from cities, this is an effective way to tackle climate change.
With support from the EBRD and international donors, each member city draws up a tailor-made GCAP to identify its own priorities in tackling its most pressing environmental challenges.
The Green Cities program in Egypt has been supported since the start by the Ministry of International Cooperation (MOIC). The GCAP’s formulation is a demonstration of strong collaboration between key stakeholders such as the Ministry of Housing, Utilities and Urban Communities (MHUUC), NUCA, the City Authority, and the private sector. This spirit of cooperation will be sustained during the GCAP’s implementation, offering a robust platform for International Financial Institutions (IFIs) to back financially sustainable projects. A prime example of this is the EBRD’s 25 million Euros loan for Egypt’s inaugural dry port in the Sixth of October City, marking a significant milestone in this collaborative journey, and acting as a trigger project for the City’s GCAP.
The GCAP identifies 14 Anchor Projects spread across key sectors. These projects are buttressed by 17 longer-term initiatives and 23 policy directives. Each Anchor Project is not just a standalone initiative, but a catalyst designed to spur further development in each sector.
This plan is tailored to address the unique geographical, political, and environmental challenges facing 6th of October City.
By aligning with international standards and frameworks, 6th of October City is not only setting a benchmark for urban sustainability in Egypt but is also positioning itself as a regional exemplar. This comprehensive Green City Action Plan serves as a strategic roadmap for realizing these ambitious objectives.
6 th of October GCAP identifies 325.4 to 362.8 million Euros (10.9 to 12.2 billion EGP) for short-term investment in priority initiatives (Anchor Projects). These projects are not just a financial investment but a commitment to future growth, with the potential to unlock additional investment in the City and generate employment opportunities.
Moreover, these initiatives are projected to make a substantial environmental impact, targeting a reduction of approximately 38,426 tons of CO2 emissions.
Funding options for these projects have been identified and range from public budgets to green bonds and multilateral development banks (MDBs) for larger projects. The EBRD’s Green Economy Financing Facility (GEFF Egypt II) offers 150 million Euros for green initiatives, providing another potential avenue for financing these critical projects.
In addition, there is potential for private sector companies to support the City achieve its objectives by implementing green municipal projects or foster partnerships with the public sector for delivery. As SMEs can be important stakeholders and action owners that support the implementation of some of the actions and objectives within the GCAP, EBRD’s Advisory for Small and Medium Business (ASB) program can support these entities and can foster possible collaborations. The ASB program is designed to support private companies which fit under the EU definition of SMEs in Egypt. This is done through assessing business growth needs per company and addressing challenges through linking them with the technical experts in all business-related functions within a consultants database, on a grant support basis. Strategically, ASB supports the themes of green transition, innovation, digitalization and inclusion.
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