Egypt-Switzerland US$1.7M E-waste recycling grant targets 87,000T annual management gap

EGYPT – Egypt has signed a CHF 1.4 million (US$1.7 million) grant agreement with Switzerland to launch the Circular Electronics Initiative, building a national system for sustainable e-waste management that builds on prior collaboration to address the country’s annual generation of 87,000 tonnes of electrical and electronic waste.

The agreement was signed by Egypt’s Minister of Local Development and Environment Manal Awad and Swiss Ambassador to Egypt Andreas Baum in the presence of Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty. 

The Circular Electronics Initiative will support the development of an integrated framework for the reuse and recycling of electrical and electronic waste in line with Egypt’s Vision 2030 and sustainable development goals. 

The project places particular emphasis on developing environmentally sound recycling systems for refrigeration and air-conditioning equipment, which contain substances that can contribute to ozone depletion and climate change if improperly handled.

Four-Pillar Framework Targets Legislation, Monitoring and Collection Systems

The initiative builds on the Sustainable Recycling Industries programme, implemented between 2016 and 2025, and aims to strengthen Egypt’s legal, institutional and regulatory framework for electronic waste management. 

The project will focus on four main areas: strengthening legislation and sector governance, establishing compliance and monitoring mechanisms, developing professional systems for collecting and recycling electronic waste, and improving data collection while applying the Extended Producer Responsibility principle. 

Switzerland’s State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) will finance the project, while Egypt’s Waste Management Regulatory Authority will lead implementation in coordination with the Ministry of Planning, Economic Development and International Cooperation, with the World Resources Forum Association implementing activities.

Africa’s Largest E-Waste Producer Targets Formal Recycling Infrastructure

Egypt ranks as the leading producer of e-waste in Africa, generating approximately 87,000 tonnes annually, yet less than 15 percent is formally recycled. 

The Circular Electronics Initiative will run until June 30, 2029, with the aim of increasing electronic waste recycling and reuse rates, promoting investment in green industries, improving resource efficiency and reducing the environmental impacts of electronic waste.

The project also aims to professionalise the informal sector, which currently handles most e-waste processing through inadequate methods such as open burning that release toxic substances. 

SECO has allocated a total budget of CHF 5 million (US$6.05 million) for the Circular Electronics Industry programme across Egypt, Ghana and South Africa.

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