CONTACT:

Sharif Jbour CEPF Programme Officer for the Middle East T: +962 (0)65548173 E: [email protected]

Mediterranean Basin Hotspot

Egypt Factsheet about future investment in biodiversity conservation projects in Egypt by the Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF)

Fisherman at Lake Manzala, which is the most important wetland in Egypt for wintering waterbirds like Little gull Larus minutus Photo © Louis-Marie Preau

Established in 2000, the Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF) is a joint initiative of l'Agence Française de Développement, Conservation International, the European Union, the Global Environment Facility, the Government of Japan and the World Bank. A fundamental goal is to ensure civil society is engaged in biodiversity conservation.

Please visit www.cepf.net and www.birdlife.org/cepf-med for more information about our programs.

WHAT IS CEPF? When developing an Ecosystem Profile for a biodiversity hotspot, CEPF decides on a few priorities, which are known as “strategic The Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF) provides directions.” These are important to grant grants to non-governmental and private sector applicants because each project must address a organizations to help protect biodiversity hotspots. Since strategic direction and one or more of its its establishment in 2000, CEPF has awarded more than investment priorities. For the Mediterranean, 2,120 grants in 92 countries and territories. A fundamental these are the current strategic directions: goal is to ensure civil society is engaged in biodiversity conservation. 1. Support civil society to engage stakeholders in demonstrating integrated approaches for the preservation of biodiversity in coastal areas. WHAT IS THE MEDITERRANEAN 2. Support the sustainable management of BIODIVERSITY HOTSPOT? water catchments through integrated approaches for the conservation of Stretching from Cabo Verde to eastern Turkey, the Mediterranean Basin is identified as one of the world's 35 threatened freshwater biodiversity. biodiversity hotspots, earth’s most biologically rich, yet 3. Promote the maintenance of traditional threatened, areas. land use practices necessary for the conservation of Mediterranean biodiversity in CEPF has been active in the hotspot since 2012, and has priority corridors of high cultural and begun a new 5-year investment phase in 2017, with US$ biodiversity value. 11.2 million to invest until September 2022. 4. Strengthen the engagement of civil society to CEPF’s initial investment phase demonstrated that through support the conservation of plants that are funding, along with mentoring, partnerships and innovative critically endangered or have highly communication strategies, civil society groups play an restricted ranges. important role in conservation efforts. 5. Strengthen the regional conservation community through the sharing of best practices and knowledge among grantees across the hotspot.

WHO IS ELIGIBLE FOR A GRANT? All NGOs, community groups, private enterprises and other civil society organizations may apply for funding. Our grant recipients range from small farming cooperatives and community associations to international organizations. What do they all have in common? They are dedicated to protecting biodiversity. For more details, please visit our page: https://www.cepf.net/grants/eligibility A map of the Mediterranean hotspot HOW DO I APPLY? WHAT IS CEPF’S INVESTMENT STRATEGY? For information on how to apply, please visit: Before providing funding to a hotspot, CEPF develops an https://www.cepf.net/grants. “Ecosystem Profile” that informs its investment strategy. In Calls for Proposals are announced on the CEPF the Mediterranean, more than 500 civil society website at: https://www.cepf.net/grants/open- organizations and other stakeholders in the region were calls-for-proposals. consulted over a period of 6 months for this in-depth analysis, helping to develop a shared strategy from the outset that has a bigger impact for nature.

Please visit www.cepf.net and www.birdlife.org/cepf-med for more information about our programs. Please visit www.cepf.net for more information about our programs.

Why is CEPF investing in Egypt? Eligibility of projects in Egypt: CEPF investment in Egypt will focus on the following investment priorities: To protect priority Key Biodiversity Areas and species Strategic Direction 1: Coasts: Support civil society to engage Egypt has recently become eligible to CEPF investment in specific stakeholders in demonstrating integrated approaches for the coastal areas. preservation of biodiversity in coastal areas with the following investment priorities: 1.1: Engage local stakeholders in conservation actions that address threats to key elements of biodiversity in priority KBAs in the coastal zone. 1.2: Engage private sector stakeholders to adopt sustainable practices that deliver positive impacts for conservation in priority KBAs in the coastal zone. 1.3: Support civil society to engage with local or national governments to mainstream biodiversity conservation into integrated coastal zone management, land-use and development planning processes. Strategic Direction 4: Plants: Strengthen the engagement of civil society to support the conservation of plants that are critically endangered or have highly restricted ranges through supporting the following investment priorities: 4.1: Increase knowledge and skills to support assessment and planning for the conservation of A map of draft Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs) in the Mediterranean hotspot of Egypt plants, and foster the emergence of a new generation of young professionals in plant conservation. Standing at the northeast corner of Africa, Egypt is at the junction of four 4.2: Support integration of plant conservation into the biogeographical regions, Irano-Turanian, Mediterranean, Saharo-Arabian and management of protected areas. Afrotropical, and it is divided by one of the world’s largest river deltas; the Nile Delta. With its unique geographic location, Egypt is home to a wide variety of 4.3: Support innovative actions for the conservation of ecosystems and terrestrial and aquatic life. important populations of plants, working with landowners and managers. Egypt is of special importance for Endangered and Critically Endangered species such as the Egyptian Vulture Neophron percnopterus and the Egyptian tortoise How can I get involved? Testudo kleinmanni, and the Nile Delta itself is home to hundreds of thousands of waterbirds and hosts many threatened animals. Contact Information For questions specific to Egypt grants, contact: In total, Egypt has more than 64 globally threatened species, including 37 marine Sharif Jbour, CEPF Programme Officer for the Middle East fishes and 12 bird species, and some represent what is left of a once flourishing environment in ancient periods of Egypt, When Egyptian culture and civilization BirdLife International, Middle East Partnership Secretariat Building 6, was strongly influenced by biodiversity, as often shown in its art. Salameh Al Maa’yta Street, Khalda, P.O.Box 2295, Amman 11953, Jordan Today, Egypt’s biodiversity is threatened from agricultural intensification, [email protected] / +962 (0)65548173 unsustainable hunting and illegal killing (particularly of migratory birds). Pollution is another major problem in Egypt, with industrial effluents, garbage and solid For general enquiries contact the Regional Implementation Team waste contaminating the water, in addition to the development of tourist resorts (RIT) (led by BirdLife International): and road infrastructure, which threatens Egypt’s unique coastal ecosystems, Liz Smith, RIT Manager, BirdLife International, David Attenborough including its famous reefs. Building, Pembroke Street, Cambridge, UK, CB2 3QZ CEPF investments in the country will play a part in combating the negative impact [email protected] / +44 (0)1223 279878 of such challenges. Future projects will focus on developing well-managed protected areas by including more local communities in conservation actions, and Web & Social Media improving law enforcement for wildlife protection whilst being sensitive to the www.birdlife.org/cepf-med Egyptian society views, in order to ensure more sustainable hunting in the www.cepf.net country, whilst being sensitive to local people’s needs. Facebook: @CEPF.MED / Twitter: @CEPFmed #CEPFmed

Northern coast of Egypt ©Egyptian Environmental Affairs Agency- Nature Conservation Sector Egyptian Vulture Neophron percnopterus (Endangered) © PaulDonald

Please visit www.cepf.net and www.birdlife.org/cepf-med for more information about our programs. Please visit www.cepf.net for more information about our programs.

A map of draft Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs) in the Mediterranean hotspot of Egypt

List of KBAs in Egypt KBA Code KBA Name

EGY01 Bohayrat El-Bardawil

EGY02 Bohayrat El-Burullus

EGY03 Lake Edku

EGY04 Lake Manzala and Lake Malaha

EGY05 Lake Mariut

EGY06 Omayed Biosphere Reserve

EGY07 Ras El Hekma Coastal Dunes

EGY08 Sallum Area

EGY09 Sallum Gulf

EGY10 Western Mediterranean Coastal Dunes

Please visit www.cepf.net and www.birdlife.org/cepf-med for more information about our programs. Please visit www.cepf.net for more information about our programs.