The winning projects will be presented at the UN Climate Change Conference (COP27) -- set to take place in the Egyptian Red Sea city of Sharm El-Sheikh -- along with one project from each governorate.
Ambassador Hisham Badr, the general coordinator of the initiative, said that the initiative contributes to developing smart and unprecedented solutions to climate problems, noting that the initiative is sponsored by President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi.
According to Badr, 162 projects were selected, with 6 projects from each governorate before being shortlisted to 18 winning projects to be presented at COP27, with each governorate choosing a certain project to be its ambassador.
He explained that clear criteria were set for evaluating projects, and the executive committees in the governorates were adequately trained.
First place winner will be awarded EGP 750,000, the second EGP 500,000, and the third EGP 250,000. This is in addition to the United Nations' support for the 18 projects.
The announcement was made in a ceremony attended by Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly, Minister of Planning and Economic Development Hala El-Said, Minister of Local Development Mahmoud Shaarawi, and President of the National Council for Women Maya Morsy.
The event was attended by representatives of international organisations, including Elena Panova, the resident representative of the United Nations in Egypt.
In August, the prime minister launched the National Initiative for Smart Green Projects to choose the best proposals in six categories, including large and medium-sized projects, small local projects, especially those associated with the presidential initiative "Decent Life", and projects provided by startups and non-profit communities.
The categories also include development projects related to women, climate change and sustainability.
Each governorate submitted 6 projects, one in each category.
In the final stage, three projects were selected from each category, bringing the total of the winning projects at the national level to 18 projects.
The UN Climate Change High-Level Champion for Egypt and UN Special Envoy on Financing the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda Mahmoud Mohieldin stressed that COP27 in Sharm El-Sheikh comes in a global atmosphere that calls for innovative solutions.
Mohieldin explained that the initiative is one of three important initiatives adopted by the Egyptian presidency, and “no one has preceded us in this regard."
The initiative will be an annual event.
In addition to this initiative, another initiative is to prepare a list of projects from the five regions globally and a third initiative is to support Egyptian universities and research centres in innovation and research related to climate action.
"In this regard, we thank all Egyptian universities and research centres for supporting the Smart Green Projects Initiative."
Mohieldin added that green and smart initiatives are linked to sustainable development in Egypt, praising the prime minister's decision to support and hold this initiative annually.
Egypt, he added, enjoys the ability to compete and respond to global initiatives such as this one, and this became evident with the number of projects it submitted.
He explained that the initiative comes as a translation of the goals of localising sustainable development.
At the level of investment, Mohieldin said there are great opportunities for the projects presented in the competition to cooperate with the Federation of Egyptian Industries, the Stock Exchange, and international institutions with the aim of opening up broader horizons.
The climate champion also stressed that these initiatives provide a dynamic map for investment in Egyptian governorates as well as an opportunity to increase investment and exports and achieve further development and innovation.
There is an opportunity to take this initiative from its local framework to international horizons, he added.
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