Dr. Manal Awad, Minister of Local Development and Environment, held a meeting with Hossam El Shaer, Head of the Egyptian Tourism Federation, to discuss opportunities to strengthen environmental investment at Peace Park in Sharm El Sheikh and a number of natural protectorates, in the presence of Eng. Sherif Abdel Rahim, CEO of the Egyptian Environmental Affairs Agency.
The Minister of Local Development and Environment stressed that the state places environmental investment at the top of its priorities in the current phase, as one of the promising paths for developing its resources and those of natural protectorates and strengthening the green economy, as well as its role in supporting ecotourism, which is seeing growing local and international demand.
Dr. Manal Awad stressed that any investment in the park, one of the environmental assets, or in the natural protectorates must be carried out under strict controls that ensure the protection of ecosystems and preserve natural resources from any pressures or negative impacts, explaining that the ministry adopts an approach that combines economic development with nature conservation, through projects that take into account each protectorate's specific character and use materials and designs in harmony with the surrounding environment.
She stressed that the projects proposed for implementation inside the park to develop and upgrade it should be presented in a way that is attractive to the public, adding that these projects must be consistent with the environmental identity and cultural heritage of the city and help raise the quality of the tourism experience without harming natural resources, qualifying it to become a distinctive destination for global ecotourism.
During the meeting, Dr. Manal Awad stressed the need to quickly submit the detailed technical and environmental studies for the Peace Park development project in Sharm El Sheikh, as well as the development proposal for the visitor center at Ras Mohammed protectorate, and a proposal for an environmental project at Nabq protectorate in line with the protectorate's investment map, which includes a specialized study of investment opportunities inside the protectorate. These will be presented to experts of the Nature Conservation Sector and the competent technical bodies within the ministry to be studied carefully before any approvals are issued, ensuring their compliance with environmental requirements and investment rules inside protectorates.
The minister directed the investment committee within the ministry to decide quickly on offers once they are submitted by investors, noting that the state welcomes partnership with the private sector in ecotourism projects, provided there is full compliance with the environmental standards and controls that ensure the protection of protectorates and the preservation of their natural resources for future generations.
It is worth noting that the Ministry of Local Development and Environment is working to develop environmental infrastructure in protectorates, improve visitor services and apply a modern system for managing tourism activities, in cooperation with the private and investment sectors, ensuring a balance between development and nature conservation and strengthening Egypt's position as a regional leader in managing natural protectorates.
This was according to the official page of Egypt's Cabinet on Facebook.
