Egypt, UNDP launch climate resilience project in Damietta

Egypt signed on Sunday a work plan with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to implement an urban climate resilience project in Damietta, the Ministry of Local Development said on Sunday.

The project, initially targeting Damietta, will later expand to other high-risk governorates. It aims to strengthen the capacity of cities and local communities to manage climate-related risks and disasters, including rising sea levels, coastal erosion, saltwater intrusion, and heatwaves.

Manal Awad, Minister of Local Development and Acting Environment Minister, witnessed the signing of the agreement between and Chitose Noguchi, UNDP Resident Representative in Egypt.

Awad said the project is part of Egypt’s broader Sustainable Egyptian Cities Initiative, launched at COP27, and represents a strategic step to enhance urban governance, risk-informed planning, and disaster preparedness.

The project will also focus on improving water resource management, enhancing emergency response capacities, strengthening data and information systems on climate risks, and supporting knowledge exchange with regional NGOs to ensure faster and more effective disaster response.

Noguchi said the project would protect the lives and livelihoods of over one million people and establish Damietta as a regional model for climate adaptation, underscoring Egypt’s leadership in local risk-informed urban development.

Hisham Helbawy, Assistant Minister for National Projects, added that the project is based on four pillars, including improving access to climate data, identifying multi-hazard risks, and enhancing urban planning for vulnerable communities.

Ambassador Khaled Anis, Assistant Foreign Minister for International Cooperation, said the project builds on the ongoing partnership between Egypt and UNDP and reinforces national efforts to create more resilient and sustainable cities.

Attribution: Amwal Al Ghad English