Egypt: Experts look into sustainability challenges and opportunities

Experts from Egypt, Morocco, Algeria, Iran, France, Germany, Italy and Belgium have paid a visit to New Fayoum, in Egypt, to discuss a proposed framework for planning and developing more sustainable cities that take local social, economic and environmental conditions into account and provide decent living conditions, particularly for the poor.The experts were able to visit New Fayoum to see for themselves the challenges and opportunities that the new city presents. The visit was part of the New Medina project which is financed by the EU’s CIUDAD programme.

“With around 75% of the planned buildings still to be built, the site could be a pilot to demonstrate the viability of a sustainability approach, using, for example, energy efficient building techniques adapted to the local climate and renewable energy installations. The results and recommendations of the Expert Panel will be published in the near future on the project website, www.newmedina.eu,” said a CIUDAD press release.“Ultimately, stronger local governance is vital for resolving social housing issues, but the example set by New Fayoum and the New Medina project could well be a step towards making new cities in Egypt more sustainable.” 

The New Medina project works with three new towns in the southern Mediterranean region: Sidi Abdellah (Algeria), Chrafate (Morocco) and New Fayoum (Egypt), often involving panels of experts from the region and from Europe to share their experiences in new town planning, development and management. 
The New Medina project is a three-year project in the framework of the EU-funded CIUDAD (Cooperation in Urban Development And Dialogue) programme. The project aims to develop an integrated approach for sustainable cities and planning for new towns in southern Mediterranean countries. It focuses on improving local capacity-building. 
The EU-funded CIUDAD programme, which runs from 2009 to 2012 and co-finances 21 local grant projects in the Neighbourhood's South and East. The projects reflect the overall objective of CIUDAD and in particular the following themes: 

• Environmental Sustainability and Energy Efficiency
• Sustainable Economic development and reduction of social disparities and
• Good governance and sustainable urban development planning.