Egypt Reviews Progress on Cairo Air Pollution Project with WB

Egypt’s Minister of Local Development and Environment Manal Awad held talks with a delegation from the World Bank to review progress on the Greater Cairo Air Pollution and Climate Change Management Project, the ministry said.

The meeting assessed the implementation status of the project’s components, which aim to improve air quality, strengthen climate response systems and support a shift toward cleaner transport in the capital.

Awad praised cooperation with the World Bank and the project team, highlighting what she described as successful development models delivered under the initiative.

A key component of the project focuses on enhancing air quality monitoring and response mechanisms. This includes establishing networks to monitor greenhouse gases and short-lived climate pollutants and integrating them with existing systems. An international consortium is currently implementing an integrated climate and air quality management plan, while a national committee has been formed to oversee coordination.

The minister said the project has helped expand Egypt’s air quality monitoring network through the installation of 57 monitoring stations, alongside upgrades to forecasting, early warning and decision-support systems.

She added that the air pollution component is expected to support real-time monitoring, introduce an integrated system for operations and maintenance through public-private partnerships, and generate more than 1,000 direct and indirect jobs, while building capacity for around 500 specialists.

Efforts to curb emissions from public transport were also reviewed, including the deployment of electric buses. Awad said 20 electric buses have been supplied for the Ministry of Transport’s bus rapid transit system, with a further 100 delivered to the Public Transport Authority.

She noted that local manufacturing content in the vehicles exceeds 45%, adding that the Amreya depot has been upgraded to accommodate electric buses, becoming one of the largest facilities of its kind in the Middle East.

The project also includes a feasibility study on powering electric bus charging stations using solar energy, as part of broader efforts to transition Cairo’s transport system away from fossil fuels.

Awad said the initiative supports local industry, strengthens emissions monitoring and promotes the adoption of cleaner technologies, while laying the groundwork for expanding electric transport in the future.