The Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) and Egypt’s Ministry of Environment have successfully completed a three-year programme to enhance environmental planning and management through Geographic Information Systems (GIS). An online seminar marked the conclusion of the “Capacity Building on Geographic Information System for Environmental Planning and Management in Egypt,” which ran from 2023 to 2025.
The programme, executed by KOICA’s Capacity Improvement & Advancement for Tomorrow (CIAT) fellowship initiative, targeted ministry officials. Its aim was to establish and activate an effective GIS for improved environmental planning.
The seminar brought together Ministry of Environment officials, alongside partners including Beni Suef Technological University and the General Authority for Export and Import Control. Alumni from the programme’s three batches presented their experiences, while a CIAT Master’s alumna shared her journey in Korea.
Ministry alumni highlighted the practical knowledge gained in Korea, demonstrating how they applied expertise to strengthen public services and develop action plans. They also noted experiencing Korean culture and its GIS advancements. The Master’s alumna described her Korean study as transformative, enhancing leadership confidence and vision, and reflecting on values of solidarity and hard work.
The seminar emphasised international cooperation’s role in boosting public sector capacities and Egypt’s environmental progress through knowledge exchange.
Since 1998, KOICA Egypt Office has enhanced capabilities of policymakers and public officials through its CIAT programme, training 1,838 alumni and enrolling 132 in scholarship programmes. In 2025, KOICA trained 45 officials from Egypt’s Ministry of Environment, Ministry of Interior, and National Council for Women. Six Egyptians also received scholarships for further professional development.
