The implementation of the environmental policies of the Government of Egypt, as expressed by the policy framework and directives of the MSEA, is carried out with four main principles underlying environmental management and protection initiatives:

Safeguarding the Environment is a responsibility shared by all ministries and institutions in Egypt. In this respect, and in order to ensure the successful integration of environmental dimensions in relevant national policies, plans, programs, and practices, MSEA and EEAA place a particular emphasis on close cooperation, continuous dialogue, and an effective partnership with all concerned central and local governmental entities. This is achieved by a variety of means, primarily encompassing cooperation protocols, inter-ministerial committees, and working groups.

Protocols and agreements with other ministries and organizations, such as the Ministries of Agriculture and Land Reclamation, Education, Health and Population, Interior, Local Development, Manpower and Immigration, Tourism, Transport, Youth, as well as the Social Fund for Development, aim at promoting cooperation for the improvement of environmental management, protection, and awareness. This is further strengthened through inter-ministerial committees and working groups for different issues. Examples include Trade and Environment, primarily concerned with minimizing adverse effects on Egypt's international trade within the framework of the application of environmental specifications as non-tariff barriers following the liberalization of international trade, Climate Change, concerned with national efforts in meeting Egypt's international commitment in this regard, Coastal Zones Management, The National Oil Spill Contingency Plan, etc.

The effectiveness of this approach in addressing common environmental challenges has been clearly demonstrated in the development of the National Integrated Solid Waste Management Strategy and Plan of Action, led by MSEA, as well as the committee on the management of agricultural wastes. The National Integrated Solid Waste Management Strategy and Plan of Action ensure the commitment of the different ministries and governorates to radical and sustainable solutions to existing problems. The committee on the management of agricultural waste focuses on operational solutions to the problems associated with the disposal of agricultural wastes, such as rice straw, and the development of possibilities for the reuse of such wastes.

On the level of local government, the development of the Environmental Management Units (EMU's) of the governorates and their active involvement, together with the Community Development Authorities of the New Industrial Cities, in environmental management, protection, and awareness, represent another important aspect of inter-governmental cooperation.

Within its strong commitment towards effective and successful environmental management and protection, the Government of Egypt has recognized the importance of the active involvement of the private sector in this regard. To this end, the MSEA, together with its executive agency the EEAA, are offering continuous support for the private sector participation in environmental services.

Such support relies on a number of measures, entailing a commitment to enforce existing environmental legislation, the implementation of demonstration projects promoting technology transfer, as well as the exchange of private sector experiences through the promotion of foreign environmental trade missions to Egypt. In conjunction with the latter, a focus is placed on the development of financial mechanisms to promote partnerships between foreign private sector entities and the national private sector in the area of environmental services. This aims at creating an enabling environment for knowledge and experience transfer. A recent example of such an initiative is the development of a "private sector platform" with the Dutch government, to be offering financial support to Dutch and Egyptian environmental private sector partnerships.

Moreover, cooperation protocols are in place between the MSEA and the Federation of Egyptian Industries, as well as the 10th Ramadan Industrial City, representing means of fostering partnerships with the industrial private sector for integrated environmental management initiatives.

Within this context, and as a consequence to the increased demand for qualified professionals in the field of environmental services, the preparation of a directory listing providers of environmental information, equipment and services, has been initiated in 2000/2001, planned to be published by the end of 2001.

In recent years, civil society has come to play an important role in efforts targeting environmental awareness and protection. Recognizing the significance of this role and its potential in promoting and achieving environmental improvement, the MSEA, within the context of strengthening national partnerships, is working on strengthening the dialogue and cooperation with environmental NGO´s.

To this end, a round table meeting, held under the auspices of H.E. Minister of State for Environmental Affairs in February 2001, investigated possible mechanisms for promoting NGO´s participation in the implementation of the MSEA and EEAA's policies and plans, as well as the role of the voluntary sector in raising environmental awareness of various groups of society. Moreover, the various challenges to the work of environmental NGO´s in Egypt were also identified, and suggestions for overcoming such obstacles put forward. In this respect, an NGO committee is to be formed from representatives from the MSEA and EEAA and the Egyptian Environmental NGO Federation, with the purpose of developing a concrete program for the promotion of cooperation between the MSEA and EEAA and environmental NGO's. Within this context, the establishment of an NGO unit, acting as a focal point for support and cooperation to environmental NGO's, is under study.

In response to the establishment of the Supreme Council for Women, under the auspices of H.E. Mrs. Suzan Mubarak, the MSEA accords special attention to gender issues within the environmental policy-making process. In line with the various concerns regarding gender-differentiated roles and impacts in natural resources management, environmental challenges and practices, the special working group on gender issues in MSEA and EEAA launched a gender program during 2000/2001.

Within the framework of this program, four workshops on gender and the environment were conducted during the past year, and three training modules on the topic are being prepared for implementation in 2001/2002. The workshops and training programs cover areas such as gender-differentiated impacts in the textile industry, the use of information technology to explore linkages between environmental issues and gender, as well as the relations between gender and industrial development, and gender and water and land management. In this respect, an Environmental Resource Guide is under preparation as an output of the gender program, and is planned for publication in January 2002, with plans for subsequent yearly production and publication.