UNIDO, Japan equip Egypt’s GOEIC to test alternatives to single-use plastics
The United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), with funding from the Government of Japan and ...
UNIDO, Japan equip Egypt’s GOEIC to test alternatives to single-use plastics
The United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), with funding from the Government of Japan and in cooperation with Egypt’s Ministry of Local Development and Environment, has provided specialized laboratory equipment to the General Organization for Export and Import Control (GOEIC).
The new equipment will enable GOEIC laboratories at Cairo International Airport to test plastic materials, single-use plastic products and their alternatives against applicable Egyptian standards.
Supporting greener industry:
The handover is part of the project “Supporting the Promotion of Circular Economy Practices on the Single-Use Plastic Value Chain in Egypt,” which aims to accelerate the shift toward more sustainable production and consumption.
The initiative combines policy support, awareness campaigns, technical assistance to businesses and efforts to promote circular economy practices across Egypt’s plastics value chain.
Faster testing, stronger exports:
The upgraded laboratory capabilities are expected to improve the efficiency and accuracy of inspection, testing and conformity-assessment services.
They will also help businesses verify product compliance before export, potentially reducing testing times and strengthening confidence in Egyptian products in international markets.
GOEIC Chairman Essam el Naggar said the equipment will expand the organization’s technical services for producers, exporters and importers while improving the quality and efficiency of laboratory services.
Linking standards to competitiveness:
Egypt’s ministers of Local Development and Environment, Industry, and Investment and Foreign Trade joined representatives from Japan, UNIDO, GOEIC and other national partners at the handover ceremony.
Industry Minister Khaled Hashem highlighted the role of stronger testing and conformity-assessment capabilities in helping Egyptian manufacturers meet international technical requirements and expand production of environmentally sustainable alternatives.
Investment and Foreign Trade Minister Mohamed Farid Saleh also emphasized laboratory capacity as a key part of Egypt’s trade infrastructure, supporting product quality, market compliance and international expansion.
Japan-Egypt-UNIDO partnership:
The project builds on a longstanding partnership between Egypt, Japan and UNIDO to promote circular economy approaches in the plastics sector.
It was launched in the context of Japan’s Osaka Blue Ocean Vision and cooperation linked to the 2019 G20 Osaka Summit, with the Egypt initiative formally announced in 2021.
Japan’s Minister and Deputy Chief of Mission in Egypt, Yasuhiro Tsukamoto, stressed that the shift to a circular economy requires not only government leadership but also active participation from manufacturers and the private sector.
For UNIDO, strengthening national quality infrastructure and technical capacity is a practical step toward helping Egypt adopt more resource-efficient production, build industrial competitiveness and advance its circular economy.
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