Egyptian Minister of Local Development and Environment Manal Awad reviewed progress on the integrated waste treatment centre under construction in 10th of Ramadan City, calling for faster implementation and a clear timetable to complete infrastructure works before handing the project over to the government.
During a meeting with officials from the Waste Management Regulatory Authority, representatives of the World Bank and the Greater Cairo Air Pollution and Climate Change Management Project, Awad reviewed construction progress, technical preparations, implementation plans and project timelines.
The meeting followed the minister’s recent inspection visit to the site, during which she urged contractors to accelerate construction. The integrated centre will include facilities for treating municipal, hazardous and medical waste, sanitary landfills, and a dedicated site for processing construction and demolition waste. The facilities will be offered to private investors under public-private partnership (PPP) arrangements.
Awad instructed project teams to prepare a detailed timetable for completing infrastructure works and discussed ways to overcome implementation challenges. She also called for the expedited preparation and review of tender documents to facilitate greater private-sector participation in the project.
The minister directed the head of the Waste Management Regulatory Authority to hold weekly coordination meetings with the project team to monitor implementation progress and promptly resolve any obstacles.
She described the project as one of Egypt’s flagship national waste management initiatives, saying it would help address waste challenges in Cairo and Qalyubeya governorates, eliminate longstanding waste accumulation and improve environmental and public health conditions.
According to the ministry, the integrated waste treatment centre is among the largest facilities of its kind in the Middle East. It is being developed under the Greater Cairo Air Pollution and Climate Change Management Project with financing from the World Bank.
The project covers an area of approximately 1,228 feddans allocated to Cairo Governorate, Qalyubeya Governorate and the New Urban Communities Authority. It is designed to process waste generated across the Greater Cairo region and safely dispose of residual materials, while supporting the government’s broader strategy to close informal dumpsites, including the Obour landfill.
Hisham Othman, the World Bank’s representative in Egypt, praised the ministry’s efforts and affirmed the bank’s commitment to addressing the minister’s observations. He said the World Bank would provide a detailed construction timetable ahead of launching investment tenders for the project’s facilities.
