CAIRO: The European Union has pledged to spend nearly LE 4 billion over the next three years to help North African governments clean up sewage, industrial waste and other pollutants flowing into the Mediterranean Sea. However, it's up to the governments themselves to create the programs and initiatives to ensure that the money is spent efficiently. "We can do nothing if the country itself doesn't prioritize where the money will be spent, says Soledad Blanco, director of the European Commission. The announcement was made at the 3rd Euro-Mediterranean Conference on Environment, which was held in Cairo on Monday. Environment ministers from countries sharing the Mediterranean Sea met with officials from the European Union to set a timetable for the Horizon 2020 plan, which aims to eliminate 80 percent of pollutants entering the Mediterranean by 2020. Blanco said the cash would flow directly from EU coffers in the form of bilateral aid. Environment Minister Maged George welcomed the announcement and said the money would supplement existing initiatives. "A great deal of pollution is due to sewage in cities and villages - this is our main priority, he said, adding that the government has already spent about LE 2 billion through the Ministry of Housing to improve the sanitation infrastructure in villages. "We will be able to benefit from Horizon 2020 in order to deal with these challenges, he said. The announcement echoes President Mubarak's comments earlier this week that stressed the importance of sanitation projects in rural areas.
