Egypt cooperates with China in forest planting

CAIRO – 2 March 2025: The Egyptian Ministry of Environment is in discussions with Sinoway Forest Technology Co., Ltd, one of China's pioneering companies in afforestation, forest carbon sink development, forestry management, and sand control, to collaborate on implementing forest planting and afforestation projects in Egypt.

Dr. Yasmine Fouad, Minister of Environment, held a meeting with representatives from the Chinese company Sinoway, attended by Dr. Ali Abu Senna, Head of the Environmental Affairs Agency; Dr. Mohamed Salem, Consultant for the Nature Protection Sector; and Ms. Soha Taher, Head of the Central Administration for International Cooperation and Climate Change.

During the meeting, Dr. Fouad listened to a presentation from the company outlining its vision for expanding operations in Egypt. The company plans to implement innovative projects focused on afforestation, environmental restoration of wetlands and degraded areas, carbon emission reduction, land restoration, artificial afforestation, and forest management. Additionally, the company plans to exchange expertise in land sciences, forests, and biodiversity.

Dr. Fouad also learned about the company's advanced technology in the forestry and afforestation fields, including seed ball technology. This technology aids in planting forests by utilizing soil and air moisture as water sources, helping to combat the effects of climate change and desertification simultaneously.

The meeting also featured examples of afforestation and forestry projects carried out by Sinoway in countries such as the UAE (Abu Dhabi), Saudi Arabia, Mauritania, and Tunisia.

The Minister emphasized the importance of ensuring that the technology used for forestry in Egypt aligns with the country’s challenge of water scarcity, ensuring that it does not exacerbate the issue. She also discussed how the project could contribute to Egypt’s emerging carbon market, especially in the context of the country’s first voluntary carbon market launch.

Dr. Fouad highlighted the role of such technologies in meeting Egypt’s land restoration and green space expansion goals, which are vital for addressing the challenges of climate change, combating desertification, and restoring degraded lands.

In response, the representative of the Chinese company explained that forestry plays a critical role in reducing carbon emissions, a strategy China has adopted due to the loss of one million hectares of cultivated land annually. This situation has intensified both climate and desertification challenges. He noted that recent climate and desertification conferences have underscored the importance of forestry and land restoration technologies as effective and sustainable solutions.

He further emphasized that Sinoway collaborates with local governments to rapidly restore natural ecosystems, improve rainfall patterns, enhance environmental sustainability, and achieve carbon neutrality goals through partnerships with industry stakeholders. The company also engages in trading carbon certificates from forests, contributing to global carbon neutrality efforts.