Egypt’s President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi has directed officials to ensure integrating efforts to safeguard the environment, in line with the state’s general strategy for good governance of environmental systems and natural resources, mainly with regard to expanding the use of clean energy from natural gas.

President El-Sisi also ordered the completion of a system for dealing with solid waste, and expansion in projects to produce biofuels from wastes.

The president made the remarks at a meeting held on Thursday with Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly, Planning Minister Hala el Saeed, Petroleum Minister Tarq El-Molla, Finance Minister Mohamed Maait, Tourism Minister Khaled El-Anani, Culture Minister Enas Abdel Dayem and Environment Minister Yassmin Fouad.

The meeting touched on efforts to develop the environment sector nationwide, according to presidential spokesman Bassam Rady.

The environment minister reviewed her ministry’s efforts to reduce pollution, preserve natural resources, address the impact of climate changes and integrate the environmental dimension into various sectors via coordination and cooperation with all ministries.

Joint efforts between various ministries have helped improve the air quality in Cairo and the Nile Delta through developing the National Network for Monitoring Industrial Emissions and eradicating the “black cloud” as well as upgrading infrastructure for natural reserves, she noted.