Egypt’s Supreme Committee for Beach Licenses Approves Key Coastal Development Projects

Dr. Hani Sewilam, Egypt’s Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation, chaired a meeting of the Supreme Committee for Beach Licenses. The session saw attendance from Dr. Manal Awad, Minister of Local Development and Environment; Major General Dr. Khaled Megawer, Governor of North Sinai; Major General Dr. Khaled Mubarak Bakry, Governor of South Sinai; Major General Dr. Nihad Shaheen, Deputy Minister of Transport for Maritime Transport; and Dr. Hazem El-Deeb, Deputy Governor of Beheira. Also present were Eng. Mohamed Ghattas, Head of the Shore Protection Authority; Major General Hassan El-Geziry, Head of the Maritime Transport Sector; Major General Adel Ezzat El-Beheiry, Assistant Head of the Engineering Authority for Maritime Projects. Representatives from the National Center for State Land Uses, the National Water Research Center, the General Authority for Investment and Free Zones, and various ministries including Defense, Transport, Environment, Local Development, Housing, Tourism & Antiquities, along with officials from coastal governorates such as Port Said, Beheira, Red Sea, South Sinai, North Sinai, Matrouh, Alexandria, and Suez, also participated.

Minister Sewilam underscored his commitment to holding regular and prompt meetings of the Supreme Committee for Beach Licenses. This approach aims to expedite necessary decisions regarding beach license applications, thereby facilitating and supporting investors and license applicants, and driving the pace of development.

Supreme Committee for Beach Licenses meeting

He highlighted that all entities forming the technical secretariat for beach licenses—comprising representatives from relevant ministries, authorities, and coastal governorates—share the responsibility for swiftly completing procedures and studies for applications submitted by citizens and investors seeking permits for coastal area projects. Sewilam emphasized the critical need for investors to take all necessary steps to present proposed projects to the Supreme Committee for Beach Licenses *before* commencing any on-site work. This ensures that such projects do not negatively impact the coastal region.

Supreme Committee for Beach Licenses meeting

During the meeting, the committee addressed 29 distinct topics. These included five items related to South Sinai Governorate, one for North Sinai Governorate, five for the Red Sea Governorate, one for Beheira Governorate, one for Damietta Governorate, and one for Kafr El Sheikh Governorate. Additionally, six topics concerned the General Authority for Tourism Development, one the Tourist Villages Authority, and eight the New Urban Communities Authority’s North West Coast Development Authority.

Supreme Committee for Beach Licenses meeting

All topics presented to the committee received approval. However, certain sub-items were not endorsed due to non-compliance with technical standards and regulatory requirements. A limited number of items were deferred pending the completion of required technical studies and verification of their alignment with current regulations.

Supreme Committee for Beach Licenses meeting

Furthermore, all national projects were approved without exception, having met all applicable technical and regulatory standards. These included two national initiatives: one for regularizing the expansion of the shipbuilding basin at the Tersana Company site in South Red Sea – Safaga, Red Sea Governorate; and another for the construction of Bughaz 5 and beach protection at Marina 8, New El Alamein City, between areas 23 and 24 within the El Alamein tourist area on the North West Coast, under the jurisdiction of the Tourist Villages Authority, part of the New Urban Communities Authority.

Supreme Committee for Beach Licenses meeting

Supreme Committee for Beach Licenses meeting

Approvals were also granted for all items related to building limits and service facilities within the beach zone. Deferrals were limited to minor partial elements within a few files, without affecting the approval of their main associated topics. For more information on Egypt’s water resources management, visit the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation website.

Supreme Committee for Beach Licenses meeting

The Supreme Committee for Beach Licenses is mandated to review and approve all permits within the exclusion zone along Egypt’s coastlines. It also discusses studies related to works implemented on the Egyptian coasts concerning the demarcation of protected areas and the stability of the shoreline. The committee ensures that all structures erected within the exclusion zone comply with the approved standards.