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International Journal of Marine Science 2013, Vol.3, No.46, 389-401
http://ijms.sophiapublisher.com
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ways to achieve integration between governance
levels and between all stakeholders in any coastal
programme. All nations need to make their own
choices based on their particular socio-political and
governance structures and traditions, and the issues
upon which the coastal programme needs to focus.
The suggested integration mechanism should focus on:
z
Promoting and strengthening inter-agency and
inter-sectoral collaboration;
z
Reducing inter-agency competition and conflicts;
z
Minimizing duplication of functions of
government departments; and,
z
Providing a form for conflict resolution among
stakeholders.
1.5 Synopsis
This section was designed to understand the nature of
integration in ICZM in order to understand how
various actors are involved with ICZM.
For instance, the review of literature argues that ICZM
affects many different sectors of society and involves
many different scientific disciplines. Consequently,
ICZM requires an integrated approach in order to
overcome the policy and functional fragmentation and
overlap that can occur in the governance of coastal
areas. So, integration is a fundamental element in
ICZM. In addition, achieving ICZM is based on the
many dimensions of integration that need to be
addressed. For instance, achieving the integrated
management of coasts is, to a substantial degree, a
matter of governance. That is, achieving ICZM is a
matter of the structures and processes which govern the
behaviour of the state organizations, private sector
corporations, civil society and citizens, who are active
in, and utilize, the resources of the coastal zone. In this
sense, integration is the task of arranging and
organizing these actors, establishing incentives and
parameters for their behaviour, and creating
circumstances for collaboration (Lane, 2006).
In order to explore/examine ‘
to what extents has the
integration been achieved among the actors of ICZM
in the case study?’
this research will investigate the
ICZM initiatives based on the following questions:
z
Have the integrating dimensions been recognized
in ICZM initiatives?
z
Do all the participating stakeholders in all levels
collaborate with each other?
z
Which integration mechanisms have been used in
order to implement ICZM?
z
Are they effective?
2 Egypt Overview
This section gives an overview on the Egypt’s marine
environment and coastal zones. Egypt enjoys a vital
strategic location between three continents. This gives
it a special significance from the point of view of
biodiversity. The coastal zones are sensitive and
diverse ecosystems (Abul-Azm et al., 2003). The
Egyptian coastline extends 3,500 kilometers along the
Mediterranean Sea and Red Sea in addition to the
Suez and Aqaba gulfs. The coastlines of Egypt are rich
with ecosystems such as coral reefs, mangroves, sand
dunes, sea grass beds, estuaries and coastal forests.
Coral reefs are associated with a high diversity of
assemblages of fish. However, at the same time the
coast of Egypt is one of the most densely populated in
the MENA region (EEAA, 2007).
Although the Egyptian coastal areas have attracted
wide variety of the economic activities, most of them
require especial protection due to their internationally
recognized biodiversity. Indeed, the marine
environment and coastal zones in Egypt are under
intensive pressure from industrial, agricultural,
tourism, and urban development. This has caused
water pollution, huge deterioration of their natural
resources, and increased shoreline erosion. For instant,
oil spills in the Gulf of Suez and the Red Sea have
become a major environmental concern in this region
(EEAA, 2007).
2.1 Egypt’s coastal management initiatives
Recognizing the growing development pressure and
the growing awareness of environmental quality
combined with the external pressure from donors and
international agencies have led Egypt to take some
initiatives designed towards introducing coastal zone
management. These efforts were designed to promote
ICZM. Subsequently, several attempts have been made