Hani Sewilam Calls for Accelerated Beach Licensing to Boost Investment and Protect Coasts

اجتماع وزير الري.

Dr. Hani Sewilam, Egypt’s Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation, chaired a meeting of the Supreme Committee for Beach Licensing to review applications for coastal projects. This initiative aligns with the government’s efforts to expedite licensing procedures while supporting investment and preserving the coastal environment.

During the meeting, Sewilam emphasized the importance of coordination among all entities represented in the committee’s technical secretariat. He urged for a swift review of applications and technical studies submitted by investors and citizens, aiming to reduce processing times and present complete files to the committee for timely decision-making.

The minister also called on regulatory bodies to ensure that all necessary documents and technical studies are finalized before referring applications to the Egyptian General Authority for Coastal Protection. This measure is intended to minimize delays caused by missing information and inter-agency correspondence.

Sewilam highlighted the ministry’s commitment to holding regular committee meetings to foster an investment-friendly climate, accelerate developmental projects, and create job opportunities while fully adhering to environmental and technical regulations governing activities in coastal areas.

During this session, the committee discussed 51 topics, including 50 agenda items and one new issue. These encompassed requests and projects submitted by various governmental, developmental, and investment entities across several coastal governorates such as Matrouh, South Sinai, Red Sea, Suez, Port Said, Alexandria, and Beheira.

The committee approved four national projects after confirming they met technical and regulatory standards. These included establishing an international yacht marina in Matrouh’s northern coast, extending electrical and industrial supply lines in Port Said, as well as executing gas transport and energy projects in Suez and the Gulf of Suez.

Regarding other applications, the committee granted approval for files that met the required conditions while postponing decisions on several topics until necessary studies and documents were completed. Some requests were rejected due to non-compliance with regulations governing operations in coastal zones.

The committee stressed the importance of adhering to approved environmental and technical regulations to ensure a balance between economic development needs and the protection of Egypt’s coasts and natural resources for future generations.

The meeting underscored that no new applications from investors or other entities would be accepted unless all required documents and studies are completed in accordance with the Water Resources Law and its executive regulations. This approach aims to ensure swift and efficient processing of applications presented to the Supreme Committee for Beach Licensing.