Under the umbrella of collaboration that was formed by the SRI programme with the Ministry of Environment (MoE), and with the Ministry’s request, SRI recruited an international expert in the metal extraction of precious metals from e-waste to visit the formal recyclers and inspect their process to validate, support and advise on the status of the process and assist in developing their methods if needed and evaluate the efficiency and effectiveness of metal extraction in Egypt.

The SRI programme commenced working on the Extended Producer’s Responsibility and organized a Study Tour for participants from the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT), Egypt, Egyptian Ministry of Environment and the Electronics Research Institute, with the aim to gain insights on both theoretical and practical levels on #EPR mechanisms for #electronics. We had 3 days full of engaging discussions, interesting field visits, good food and a lot of fun. Many thanks to all speakers, visitors, the organising team from dss⁺ and Centre for Environment & Development for the Arab Region and Europe (CEDARE) and our guides at the sites we visited.

Under the umbrella of collaboration that was formed between the Ministry of Environment (MoE), Ministry of Communication & Information Technology (MCIT) and the SRI programme that commenced since the first phase of the programme and was emphasized by the involvement of MoE as a main stakeholder in the Steering Committee meetings and in the implementation of the activities and objectives of the project that is in line with the Ministry’s rules and regulations.

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The Steering Committee’s role is to provide advice, ensure delivery of the project outputs and the achievement of project outcomes. … Providing advice (and sometimes making decisions) about changes to the project as it develops. The Steering Committee provides support, guidance, and oversight of progress. The Steering Committee is scheduled to twice a year which is headed by MCIT, and the members of the committee are consists of representatives of the Swiss Embassy, Sofies, CEDARE, Ministry of Industry, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Environment and guests who are invited based on the agenda and objectives of each individual committee meeting.

The Take-back sub-committee was established under the National E-waste Committee headed by the Ministry of Environment, with a focus on the analysis of the economic conditions and possible financing mechanisms for the Egyptian context including the financial implications.

As input for the sub-committee on financing mechanisms and recycling targets, the SRI team will host a webinar on EPR systems, conduct a benchmark study on recycling target setting, and start developing calculation mechanisms to set recycling targets in Egypt.  Together with sub-committee, definition and planning of political milestones, responsibilities, and indicators in a roadmap in order to implement the policy. Meetings are scheduled to be conducted monthly and the first meeting convened in April, June, July and August 2021.

ERI, was established by the Presidential Decree No. 38 in 1989. It is one of the specialized institutes affiliated to the Ministry of Scientific Research. The activities of ERI include theoretical and applied research in the fields of electronics, communications, computers, and informatics. Catering scientific consultancy services to the industrial sector, for both production and services. Currently, ERI constitutes seven departments that include more than two hundred research members to be one of the largest research entities in Egypt.

The research institute provides technical training, operation management training and technical labs for researchers use and incubation hub for entrepreneurs.

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Two meetings were convened with the Ministry of Higher Education, one was online and the second at the premises of the Ministry.  CEDARE indicated the importance of training that the project provided in the first phase and how it was targeting new ventures and starting an e-waste recycling business. Additionally, the importance of institutionalizing the SRI training to sustain education in this field and how it started with institutions within the MCIT in the form of a course but then the idea developed into greater depth and into making it part of electronic education within universities. It was highlighted the opportunity of having Egypt as E-waste recycling hub for the African and Arab countries which will need high level calibers in this important industry.

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