Egypt's Ministry of Environment, KOICA Conclude Three-Year GIS Training Program

The Egyptian Ministry of Environment, in partnership with the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), has successfully concluded a three-year capacity-building program focused on enhancing environmental planning and management through Geographic Information Systems (GIS).

To commemorate the program's completion, an Online Knowledge Sharing Seminar was held, marking the end of a collaborative effort that began in 2023 under KOICA’s Capacity Improvement & Advancement for Tomorrow (CIAT) fellowship program. The initiative aimed to equip Ministry officials with advanced skills and practical knowledge in GIS applications, reinforcing Egypt’s national strategy for sustainable environmental governance.

The program was executed through joint cooperation between the Ministry of Environment and KOICA, with participation from Beni Suef Technological University (BTU) and the General Authority for Export and Import Control (GOEIC). Over three years, three batches of Egyptian officials received intensive training in South Korea, where they developed actionable plans tailored to Egypt’s environmental needs and experienced Korea’s leading GIS technology and planning systems.

During the seminar, alumni from the Ministry of Environment shared success stories and practical applications of their training, including how the GIS knowledge gained in Korea was integrated into current planning processes. They emphasized the program’s tangible impact on public service delivery, particularly in environmental monitoring, land use planning, and pollution control.

One graduate of KOICA’s CIAT Master’s degree program reflected on her personal and professional transformation during her studies in Korea. She described how the experience strengthened her leadership abilities, broadened her strategic thinking, and exposed her to values of discipline, innovation, and public service that are central to Korea’s development model.

The seminar reaffirmed the importance of international cooperation in advancing Egypt’s environmental goals. It also highlighted the role of human capital development in ensuring the long-term success of national strategies related to climate resilience, clean technology, and data-driven policymaking.

Since its establishment in Cairo in 1998, the KOICA Egypt Office has remained a key development partner, focusing on education, digital governance, women’s empowerment, and public sector innovation. Through its CIAT program alone, KOICA has trained 1,838 Egyptian public officials and awarded 132 scholarships for advanced academic degrees in South Korea.

In 2025, KOICA delivered targeted training to 45 Egyptian officials from key institutions including the Ministry of Environment, Ministry of Interior, and the National Council for Women. Additionally, six Egyptian scholars joined KOICA’s academic scholarship program, expanding their expertise in fields such as environmental policy, governance, and sustainable development.