Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07CAIRO1419
2007-05-14 14:42:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Cairo
Cable title:
GOVERNOR PLANS FOR A CLEANER, GREENER CAIRO
how-toVZCZCXRO4498 RR RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHHM RUEHKUK RUEHLN RUEHMA RUEHPB RUEHPOD RUEHROV DE RUEHEG #1419 1341442 ZNR UUUUU ZZH R 141442Z MAY 07 FM AMEMBASSY CAIRO TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 5175 INFO RUEHEE/ARAB LEAGUE COLLECTIVE RUEHZN/ENVIRONMENT SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY COLLECTIVE
UNCLAS CAIRO 001419
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
STATE FOR NEA/ELA, EUR/SCR FOR HANISH, OES FOR LAWRENCE
AMMAN FOR WHITTLESEY
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: SENV PGOV ECON SOCI EG
SUBJECT: GOVERNOR PLANS FOR A CLEANER, GREENER CAIRO
UNCLAS CAIRO 001419
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
STATE FOR NEA/ELA, EUR/SCR FOR HANISH, OES FOR LAWRENCE
AMMAN FOR WHITTLESEY
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: SENV PGOV ECON SOCI EG
SUBJECT: GOVERNOR PLANS FOR A CLEANER, GREENER CAIRO
1. (U) Cairo Governor Abdel-Azim Wazir presented his vision
for grappling with Cairo's burgeoning population, congested
traffic, and environmental degradation in an April 30 meeting
with former Ambassador to Egypt Frank Wisner and Management
Counselor. Wazir's vision will be codified in a plan to make
the city a more welcoming cultural and political capital, to
be entitled "Cairo 2020" or "Cairo 2050."
--------------
POPULATION AND TRAFFIC CRUNCH TOP PRIORITIES
--------------
2. (U) Expressing frustration with the unregulated swelling
of the 16-million person megalopolis with an estimated
additional 3 million daily commuters, Wazir spoke of a plan
to decrease the congestion in downtown Cairo's Tahrir Square
by down-sizing two of its most infamous bureaucratic
institutions: the 12,000 employee Mogamma, just steps from
Embassy Cairo, and the 38,000 employee Ministry of
Information Radio and Television Building. In addition to a
proposed plan to move many of these employees to alternate
locations, Wazir emphasized that the government is strictly
enforcing a moratorium on building new government offices,
factories, and schools. Greater Cairo is already home to
seven universities, 3,316 schools, 460 hospitals, and 82
hotels, in addition to numerous government buildings.
3. (U) Wazir also stressed the importance of creating a new
"Government Zone" to be constructed on outskirts of Cairo.
Thirteen new ministy buildings are set to be built along the
Ring Road, and the GOE is inviting foreign embassies to
relocate there in coming years. Wazir hopes that this
relocation, in addition to the commencement of the long
awaited third phase of Cairo's subway line, will cut down on
the estimated 1.6 million cars clogging the city's streets.
--------------
GOE TO ENGAGE ON CLIMATE CHANGE
--------------
4. (U) Wazir is hopeful that international cooperation and
expertise can be employed to deal with some of Cairo's many
environmental challenges. Three representatives from the
Governor's office, including Deputy Governor General Abdel
Hady Gad Al-Mawla, will represent Cairo at the mid-May "Large
Cities Climate Summit" hosted in New York City by Mayor
Bloomberg. The conference is part of a larger plan to
provide technical assistance to large cities in reducing
greenhouse gases by mobilizing international experts in areas
like building efficiency, transport systems, renewable
technologies, waste management, and water distribution.
Partner cities will work with local technical experts to
develop an implement programs to reduce emissions.
5. (U) Cairo's environmental challenges are enormous. To
cite just one example, every fall since 1999, Cairenes
witness a ghastly reminder of the horrific air pollution with
the appearance of the infamous "black cloud," a toxic result
of a mix of burning rice crop waste, auto and industrial
pollution, and thermal inversion. A 2002 World Bank report
estimates the cost of environmental degradation in Egypt is
16.4 million Egyptian pounds annually (USD 2.9 million).
--------------
COMMENT
--------------
6. (SBU) While Cairo has seen some minor improvements in
green space in recent years, such as the opening of the Aga
Khan foundation's Al-Azhar Park, a far more coordinated plan
addressing urban sprawl, under-regulated pollution, and
chaotic traffic, is needed to effect any substantial change
for the better.
RICCIARDONE
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
STATE FOR NEA/ELA, EUR/SCR FOR HANISH, OES FOR LAWRENCE
AMMAN FOR WHITTLESEY
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: SENV PGOV ECON SOCI EG
SUBJECT: GOVERNOR PLANS FOR A CLEANER, GREENER CAIRO
1. (U) Cairo Governor Abdel-Azim Wazir presented his vision
for grappling with Cairo's burgeoning population, congested
traffic, and environmental degradation in an April 30 meeting
with former Ambassador to Egypt Frank Wisner and Management
Counselor. Wazir's vision will be codified in a plan to make
the city a more welcoming cultural and political capital, to
be entitled "Cairo 2020" or "Cairo 2050."
--------------
POPULATION AND TRAFFIC CRUNCH TOP PRIORITIES
--------------
2. (U) Expressing frustration with the unregulated swelling
of the 16-million person megalopolis with an estimated
additional 3 million daily commuters, Wazir spoke of a plan
to decrease the congestion in downtown Cairo's Tahrir Square
by down-sizing two of its most infamous bureaucratic
institutions: the 12,000 employee Mogamma, just steps from
Embassy Cairo, and the 38,000 employee Ministry of
Information Radio and Television Building. In addition to a
proposed plan to move many of these employees to alternate
locations, Wazir emphasized that the government is strictly
enforcing a moratorium on building new government offices,
factories, and schools. Greater Cairo is already home to
seven universities, 3,316 schools, 460 hospitals, and 82
hotels, in addition to numerous government buildings.
3. (U) Wazir also stressed the importance of creating a new
"Government Zone" to be constructed on outskirts of Cairo.
Thirteen new ministy buildings are set to be built along the
Ring Road, and the GOE is inviting foreign embassies to
relocate there in coming years. Wazir hopes that this
relocation, in addition to the commencement of the long
awaited third phase of Cairo's subway line, will cut down on
the estimated 1.6 million cars clogging the city's streets.
--------------
GOE TO ENGAGE ON CLIMATE CHANGE
--------------
4. (U) Wazir is hopeful that international cooperation and
expertise can be employed to deal with some of Cairo's many
environmental challenges. Three representatives from the
Governor's office, including Deputy Governor General Abdel
Hady Gad Al-Mawla, will represent Cairo at the mid-May "Large
Cities Climate Summit" hosted in New York City by Mayor
Bloomberg. The conference is part of a larger plan to
provide technical assistance to large cities in reducing
greenhouse gases by mobilizing international experts in areas
like building efficiency, transport systems, renewable
technologies, waste management, and water distribution.
Partner cities will work with local technical experts to
develop an implement programs to reduce emissions.
5. (U) Cairo's environmental challenges are enormous. To
cite just one example, every fall since 1999, Cairenes
witness a ghastly reminder of the horrific air pollution with
the appearance of the infamous "black cloud," a toxic result
of a mix of burning rice crop waste, auto and industrial
pollution, and thermal inversion. A 2002 World Bank report
estimates the cost of environmental degradation in Egypt is
16.4 million Egyptian pounds annually (USD 2.9 million).
--------------
COMMENT
--------------
6. (SBU) While Cairo has seen some minor improvements in
green space in recent years, such as the opening of the Aga
Khan foundation's Al-Azhar Park, a far more coordinated plan
addressing urban sprawl, under-regulated pollution, and
chaotic traffic, is needed to effect any substantial change
for the better.
RICCIARDONE