6 Grant Agreements with the European Union in Support of Economic Development in Egypt
6 Grant Agreements with the European Union in Support of Economic Development in Egypt
Source : Ministry of International Cooperation (MOIC)
11-Oct-2016
Dr. Nasr: “The agreements are worth EUR 130 million and aim at improving the quality of work in the SMEs sector and raising standards of living for 850,000 citizens under the National Drainage Program”.
The Minister: “We signed a EUR 10 million agreement to support the National Council for Human Rights (NCHR) and to enhance women participation in public life”.
On 11 October 2016, the Minister of International Cooperation Dr. Sahar Nasr signed 6 grant agreements worth EUR 130 million with Mr. Johannes Hahn, EU Commissioner for European Neighborhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations, in presence of Mr. Diego Escalona, Head of Operations at the European Union (EU).
The agreements focus on inclusive economic development, renewable energy, sanitation, development of lagging regions and human rights, stated Dr. Nasr.
The agreements included the 200 MW Wind Farm Project in the Gulf of Suez that would be implemented in favor of the New & Renewable Energy Authority (NREA), given that the project is worth EUR 345 million to which the EU would contribute with EUR 30 million. The project aims to support energy and contribute to generating sustainable, effective and eco-friendly electricity, besides decreasing CO2 emissions. An agreement for the “Fostering Reforms in the Egyptian Renewable Energy and Water Sectors” program worth EUR 8 million was also signed in favor of the Ministries of Electricity & Renewable Energy and Water Resources & Irrigation. The purpose of the program is to carry out institutional and legislative reforms in the water and energy sectors, build capacities of relevant institutions, set plans for spreading awareness on water conservation and spread information on reform plans and strategies, besides applying the principles of transparency, developing financial and technical performance and activating the channels of social dialogue.
With regard to the sanitation sector, the Minister signed an agreement worth EUR 40 million on the National Drainage Program (NDP III), in favor of the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation (MWRI), so as to increase agricultural production through providing as adequate sanitation infrastructure and to extend the underground sanitation nets through increasing the efficiency of 108,000 hectares underground and 8000 hectares above surface in areas of intervention, besides improving standards of living for 850,000 citizens through increasing agricultural production and enhancing the technical support component, thereby enhancing capacities of MWRI.
This is in addition to an agreement worth EUR 26 million for achieving local economic and social development in informal areas in Grater Cairo through enhancing the delivery of services and upgrading infrastructure. As stated by the Minister the GIZ contributes to the project with EUR 2 million.
Further, the Minister emphasized the signing of the Inclusive Economic Growth Program worth EUR 15 million, noting that the program’s beneficiaries would be the Ministries of Trade & Industry, Tourism, Antiquities and Culture. The program is designed to achieve institutional development, to build capacities and to set frameworks that would improve the quality of work in the micro, small and medium enterprises sector as well as the culture and tourism. In the human rights field, an agreement worth EUR 10 million was signed for the benefit of the Ministry of Planning, Follow-up and Administrative Reform, the Ministry of Local Development, the Central Authority for Organization & Administration (CAOA) and the Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics (CAPMAS). The agreement aims to helping the Egyptian government provide its citizens with their rights according to the 2014 Constitution through supporting the NCHR to perform its duties and enhancing women’s participation in the public life.
In response to an inquiry on current cooperation between Egypt and the Saudi Arabia, the Minister ascertained relations are distinguished between both countries and that she signed a number of agreements with Saudi Arabia, including the Sinai Peninsula development project financed by the Saudi Fund for Development with USD 1.5 billion, noting that the project is in progress due to the importance of Sinai development and that several agencies contribute financially to the project including the Armed Forces Engineering Authority (AFEA).
On the sidelines of the signing, the Minister held a meeting with Mr. Hahn and his accompanying delegation, where officials discussed enhancing relations between Egypt and the EU and supporting partnership between both sides, in line with focusing on citizens’ needs and meeting priorities of the government’s economic program.
As indicated by Dr. Nasr, the 6 agreements focus on infrastructure, sanitation, food security, renewable energy and human development through enhancing SMEs and youth skills, thus create job opportunities and focus on citizens’ rights.
The government is keen on the private sector and the civil society participation in the sustainable inclusive development, noted Dr. Nasr.
For his part, Mr. Hahn commended distinguished relations between Egypt and the EU, highlighting the EU keenness to increase cooperation with Egypt during the upcoming period and to support the private sector so as to provide youth with job opportunities. He added that the “EU Facility for Inclusive Growth and Job Creation” would be launched next year so as to support neighborhood countries through providing them with grants worth EUR 4 million.