Al-Mashat, EU Ambassador Discuss Joint Relations

Minister of International Cooperation Rania Al-Mashat met with Christian Berger, European Union (EU) Ambassador in Cairo, to look into the progress made through joint cooperation within the framework of the strategic partnership between Egypt and the EU.

They also discussed future areas of cooperation within the 2021-2027 strategy, which is also within the framework of the Government of Egypt’s national development agenda.

Last February, the European Commission inaugurated the European Union’s Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument (NDICI) for the period between 2021 to 2027. The instrument aims to stimulate long-term social and economic recovery in the countries that are neighbouring Europe through mobilizing private and public investment in the next decade.

The new plan focuses on five key areas: 1) Human Development, 2) Resilience and Prosperity to Support Resilient Sustainable Economies, 3) Peace, Security, and Helping Countries Address their Challenges; 4) Migration and Mobility to Address Challenges of Forced Displacement and Irregular Migration; 5) Environment, Energy, and Climate Change to Protect Natural Resources and Promote Green Growth.

Al-Mashat affirmed that the objectives of the EU’s NDICI and the strategy of the Ministry of International Cooperation are in line with the Government of Egypt’s development priorities; with regards to the transformation towards a green economy, renewable energy, sustainable infrastructure, digital transformation, gender equality, health care, social safety nets, and education.

The Minister suggested that the EU expands blended finance tools to boost private investments in Egypt, and to stimulate the implementation of sustainable projects, especially in the agriculture sector and the development of rural communities.

Al-Mashat also discussed the development funds agreed upon with the EU during the past year. The health sector received a budget support that was directed to the implementation of the state’s homegrown response plan to COVID-19 at a value of €89 million.

The energy sector budget support program as well received a financing worth €60 million, and the water sector budget support program was funded with €160 million. She stressed the need to maximize the use of these development agreements by coordinating with government entities and line ministries to enhance the country’s development strategy.

Christian Berger, the Ambassador of the EU in Cairo shared that the bilateral cooperation between the EU and Egypt is important in supporting the state’s efforts to achieve sustainable development. He applauded the role of the Ministry of International Cooperation in coordinating with government entities that are benefiting from the development agreements, in order to accelerate the pace of implementing the development projects.

Egypt was part of the EU’s Single Support Framework 2017-2020 that has allocated up to €538 million to support the development of several state sectors, including: energy, environment, social protection, governance, capacity building, and civil society. The current cooperation portfolio between Egypt and the EU amounts to €1.35 billion in development financing.