Vision workshop on ICZM Strategy for Egypt

The first out of three workshops to prepare the National ICZM Strategy for Egypt took place in Cairo, on 29 January 2009. The objectives of this Vision workshop were to agree on the current ICZM realities in the country as a starting point, and to define a shared and agreed vision for ICZM implementation in Egypt. The ICZM Committee members, coastal governorates and experts attended the workshop, which was a very dynamic and constructive one, in particular the work in the small working groups. The main idea is to come to this important document in a participatory process by involving the major stakeholders that are responsible for the implementation of ICZM in the country. The second workshop will concentrate on the objectives and priorities, whereas the final one on the road map for its implementation.

The project was initiated at the request of the Egyptian Environmental Affairs Agency (EEAA) addressed to PAP/RAC to provide assistance in the preparation of the National ICZM Strategy for Egypt. The initiative falls within the objectives of SMAP III project, and is a step forward in the implementation of the ICZM Protocol for the Mediterranean. This project is supported also by the decision of the Egyptian ICZM Committee to prepare such a document. The structure of the ICZM Strategy and the process of its preparation were discussed and agreed upon at the meeting in November 2008.