Egypt: Workshop on integrating SEA in Integrated Coastal Zone Management

4 March 2024

Under the Joint Cooperation and Applied Research (JCAR) programme funded by the Netherlands Government, Egypt is addressing climate change induced sea-level rise and other threats to its coastal zone alongside the Mediterranean Coast. The Government of Egypt has indicated the need of Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) and has requested the NCEA to support them in improving the plan.

In February, the NCEA conducted a workshop for officials of the Shore Protection Agency (SPA), and the Planning Division of the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation. The workshop aimed at discussing the current Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) Plan developed by SPA and assessing it against SEA principes. 

To achieve a common understanding of SEA, the workshop addressed the key principles of SEA, provided international best practices of integrated SEA supporting national planning, and illustrated practical uses of SEA in coastal areas with similar challenges to those Egypt is facing. The concept of alternative pathways supporting spatial planning was widely acknowledged and will be integrated in the next steps in finalising the ICZM Plan.