Coastal protection projects are under way in Alexandria, Damietta, Marsa Matrouh and Kafr El-Sheikh as authorities seek to protect vulnerable areas from sea-level rise and other impacts of climate change, the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation said.
Water Resources and Irrigation Minister Hani Sewilam reviewed ongoing projects, including the first phase of a coastal protection scheme in Alexandria stretching for two kilometres between Bir Masoud and Al-Mahrousa.
A second 600-metre phase in Alexandria’s Laurent area is intended to protect the Corniche seawall and road while restoring the area’s sandy beach.
Other projects include breakwaters at Ras El-Bar in Damietta, the second phase of protection works at Al-Abyad beach in Marsa Matrouh, and measures to protect a low-lying coastal area in Motobas, Kafr El-Sheikh.
Sites are also being prepared for new protection works east of Al-Banayeen and Al-Marazqa villages in Kafr El-Sheikh and east of Ezbet El-Borg in Damietta.
Sewilam said the projects aim to protect residential areas, investments and coastal land that are particularly vulnerable to climate change and rising sea levels.
The ministry is also preparing studies for the management of 1,200 kilometres of Egypt’s northern shoreline, moving towards an integrated approach that treats the coast as a connected system rather than a series of separate protection projects.
Sewilam said authorities were seeking to make greater use of environmentally friendly natural materials and involve local communities in coastal adaptation projects.
Separately, the ministry is developing a digital coastal licensing application to streamline applications for projects in coastal areas. The system is intended to accelerate decision-making, improve transparency and simplify licensing procedures for investors, companies and individuals.
