Towards Better Air Quality in Egypt Stéphane GuimbertMaria Sarraf April 22, 2026 This page in: English © 2026 The World Bank Group,

https://blogs.worldbank.org/en/arabvoices/towards-better-air-quality-in-egypt In Cairo, every September, families close their windows, parents worry about their children’s coughs, and outdoor workers brace themselves for weeks of heavy haze and burning smells. The annual Black Cloud season, stretching from September to December, had become part of life in Egypt’s capital. During this season, emissions from open burning of rice stubble routinely adds to those from solid waste burning, transportation, and industry, driving air pollution to dangerous levels. © 2026 The World Bank Group,