EU-Funded Clima-Med Project Delivers Landmark Climate Action Training Workshop for Egypt’s Ministry of Housing, Utilities & Urban Communities and the New Urban Communities Authority (NUCA).
CAIRO, Egypt – May 29, 2025 – The EU-funded Clima-Med project successfully organized and delivered a comprehensive three-day intensive training workshop at the Ritz Carlton Nile Hotel from May 27-29, 2025. This intensive program focused on developing Sustainable Energy Access and Climate Action Plans while providing Egyptian officials with essential tools for climate finance and sustainable urban development.
Broad Participation Demonstrates Government Commitment
The workshop was specifically designed as a capacity-building program for Egypt’s Ministry of Housing and New Urban Communities Authority, demonstrating Clima-Med’s commitment to strengthening local government expertise across the Mediterranean region. The programme brought together key Egyptian officials and technical experts from twelve cities, including Tenth of Ramadan City, New Damietta Authority, New Al-Mansoura Authority, New Al-Salhia Authority, New Sphinx Authority, May 15 Authority, Sheikh Zayed Authority, Sadat Authority, New Naser Authority, Al- Nubariyah Authority, Capital Gardens Authority, New Al-Warak Authority, to address pressing climate challenges through practical, implementable solutions.
Eng. Khaled Diaa, Head of the Technical Central Department at the Egyptian Water Regulatory & Consumer Protection, Ministry of Housing, Utilities, and Urban Communities, opened the workshop. He was joined by Dr Donia Rabea, Director General and Executive Director of the Central Unit for Sustainable Cities at the New Urban Communities Authority, and Dr Naguib Amin, Clima-Med Team Leader.
“We meet today in light of pressing global challenges, as climate change has become a reality that affects every aspect of our lives,” emphasized Eng. Diaa. “This workshop comes as a practical step to enhance our national capacities to address these challenges.”
In her welcoming address, Dr Rabea highlighted Egypt’s commitment to supporting the transition towards a sustainable green economy and advancing climate action plans, emphasizing the importance of scaling up climate finance mechanisms.
Comprehensive Climate Action Framework
The Clima-Med team of experts delivered an intensive curriculum covering critical areas of climate action and sustainable urban development across three strategic days:
Day 1 focused on strategic foundations with Team Leader Naguib Amin and Senior expert Oussama Kaassamani leading sessions on developing Sustainable Energy and Climate Action Plans (SEACAPs). Participants received comprehensive training on emissions calculation methodologies across multiple sectors, including buildings, transportation, and water management, as well as detailed risk and vulnerability assessments addressing Egypt’s water scarcity and drought challenges.
Day 2 delved into practical implementation strategies, covering targeted emission mitigation measures across buildings, transport, solid waste, and water management sectors. Participants explored comprehensive adaptation measures while receiving detailed guidance on climate project financing mechanisms, including strategies for engaging with international funding bodies.
Day 3 was mainly dedicated to communication and community engagement, with Clima-Med expert Myriam Makdissi guiding participants through the critical components of public engagement, focusing on developing effective communication strategies, awareness-raising campaigns and practical approaches to community outreach essential for successful climate action implementation.
Dynamic Knowledge Exchange and Practical Problem-Solving
The workshop’s interactive format generated exceptional engagement throughout the three-day program, fostering dynamic exchanges between Egyptian officials and Clima-Med experts. Participants actively contributed their local expertise and practical challenges, creating a rich discussion with all involved. These exchanges proved particularly valuable, where participants shared specific challenges related to Egypt’s urban infrastructure and explored innovative funding mechanisms tailored to the country’s development priorities.
The collaborative atmosphere enabled participants to work through real-world scenarios and develop actionable solutions that could be immediately applied to their respective urban communities. Workshop facilitators noted the high level of technical questions and the participants’ keen interest in adapting international best practices to Egypt’s unique urban development context.
In recognition of their active engagement and professional commitment, all participants received official certificates acknowledging their successful completion of this comprehensive capacity-building initiative.
Concrete Outcomes and Next Steps
The Clima-Med training workshop concluded with tangible agreements and clear steps forward. Egyptian officials and experts committed to preparing comprehensive financing proposals and developing targeted awareness-raising plans. It also established agreements on proposed cities for developing model climate action plans with defined working teams and monitoring processes.
Egyptian officials made concrete agreements to prepare comprehensive financing proposals and develop targeted awareness-raising campaigns for their respective communities. The workshop also established formal agreements on pilot cities for developing model SEACAPs, complete with designated working teams and structured monitoring processes to ensure the success of implementation.
Supporting Egypt’s Climate Commitments
This training initiative directly supports Egypt’s commitment to international sustainable development strategies and climate initiatives aligned with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Clima-Med’s collaboration with Egypt’s Ministry of Housing and New Urban Communities Authority demonstrates the project’s commitment to building local capacity for sustainable urban development in the Mediterranean region.