The United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), supported by the Government of Japan, provided specialised laboratory equipment to Egypt’s General Organization for Export and Import Control (GOEIC) on 4 August 2026 in Cairo.
The equipment will strengthen Egypt’s capacity to test plastic materials, single-use plastic products and more sustainable alternatives, and assess their compliance with Egyptian standards. The handover took place at GOEIC’s laboratories at Cairo International Airport in cooperation with Egypt’s Ministry of Local Development and Environment.
The support forms part of the project “Supporting the Promotion of Circular Economy Practices on the Single-Use Plastic Value Chain in Egypt”. The programme combines policy and institutional support, technical assistance for enterprises, awareness activities and the promotion of circular-economy practices across the plastics value chain. GOEIC said the capacity could shorten testing times, improve services for producers, exporters and importers, and help businesses verify product conformity before export.
“The new equipment represents a significant addition to GOEIC’s laboratory system, helping improve the efficiency and accuracy of inspection, testing and conformity-assessment services,” said GOEIC chairman Essam El-Naggar.
The ceremony included three Egyptian ministers. Japan was represented by Yasuhiro Tsukamoto, Minister and Deputy Chief of Mission at its embassy in Egypt, while Gihan Attia attended as Deputy UNIDO Representative in Egypt. UNIDO said improved testing and conformity assessment would connect Egypt’s quality infrastructure with industrial competitiveness, supporting manufacturers seeking to meet technical requirements in domestic and international markets.
The initiative follows cooperation associated with the 2019 G20 Osaka Summit and Japan’s Osaka Blue Ocean Vision on marine plastic pollution. UNIDO and Japan announced the Egyptian project in 2021, focusing on greener production and consumption, small and medium-sized enterprises, and an enabling policy environment.