Supervisor Elham AbolFateh
Editor in Chief Mohamed Wadie

Al-Mashat Stresses Importance of Strategic Relations bet. Egypt, EU


Mon 09 May 2022 | 02:19 PM
Basant ahmed

Minister of International Cooperation Dr. Rania A. Al-Mashat stressed the importance of strategic relations between Egypt and the EU, and in moving forward by strengthening cooperation within the framework of the 2021 - 2027 Cooperation Strategy.

Since 2008, the EU has mobilized €650 million in grants for various development sectors, contributing to the provision of €7 billion in concessional financing provided by European financial institutions and member states of development banks.

Ambassador of the European Union in Egypt, Christian Berger said that the grants signed today aim to improve the standard of living and promote development in many vital sectors.

The Ministry of International Cooperation and the European Union (EU) organized a signing ceremony for a number of development financing grants within the framework of the Egyptian-European partnership; supporting the Government of Egypt’s development efforts in various sectors, namely rural and community development, administrative reform, local development, environment, and health.

The ceremony included the Minister of International Cooperation, H.E. Dr. Rania A. Al-Mashat and EU Ambassador to Egypt, H.E. Christian Berger, alongside Minister of Environment, H.E. Dr. Yasmine Fouad; Chairman of the National Bureau for the Implementation of the Egypt-EU Association Agreement, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, H.E. Omar Aboueish; the President of the Central Agency for Organisation Administration (CAOA), H.E. Dr. Saleh El Sheikh, with a number of representatives from ministries, ambassadors of EU member states, and development partners.

In her opening speech, Al-Mashat emphasized the importance of the strategic relations between Egypt and the EU, which comes within the framework of the country’s development cooperation relations with multilateral and bilateral development partners; supporting efforts to achieve sustainable development, and to promote inclusive growth.

Al-Mashat added that the Government of Egypt is committed to enhancing its development cooperation with the EU within the framework of the new 2021 - 2027 partnership that will encompass development in vital sectors including, a transition to the green economy, new and renewable energy projects, and rural development. The Minister explained that the grants signed today are an example of multilateral cooperation with development partners, supporting development in priority sectors.

The Minister of International Cooperation explained that since 2008, the EU has mobilized €650 million in grants for various development sectors, contributing to the provision of €7 billion in concessional financing provided by European financial institutions and member states of development banks. H.E. also pointed out that the partnership with the EU has strengthened blended finance to implement development projects in Egypt, thus stimulating private sector participation.

For his part, EU Ambassador to Egypt, H.E. Christian Berge said that, “Europe Day is a wonderful occasion to highlight the strategic relations between the EU and Egypt, and to strengthen our cooperation and long-standing partnership that began 45 years ago. Together, we celebrate the launch of programs that will improve the lives of many Egyptians across sectors, including agriculture, climate, housing, health and governance.”

The signing ceremony witnessed a €24 million grant agreement between the EU’s Integrated Rural Development program and the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation to support the Ministry of Agriculture and Land Reclamation. The event also included the signing of the Public Financial Management project to support the Ministry of Finance with a €5 million grant, and the Sustainable Development Strategy and the Administrative Reform Plan with a €5 million grant to support the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology, and the Central Agency for Organisation Administration (CAOA), within the framework of “EU Support to Enhanced Administrative and Public Economic Governance in Egypt” program , which will be implemented through the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

The project “Decentralization and Integrated Local Development with a Special Emphasis on Upper Egypt” was also signed, worth €7 million in grants, within the framework of “EU Support to Enhanced Administrative and Public Economic Governance in Egypt”, which will be implemented through the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), in support of the Ministry of Local Development. A €14 million grant for the “EU Green - EU Support for Growth through Egyptian Environmental Networks” program was also signed, and will be implemented through the GIZ, to support the Ministry of Environment.

This is in addition to the €3 million grant for the Community Development Program between the EU and the Agence Française de Développement (AFD) for the Micro Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency (MSMEDA). Moreover, the disbursement of the second tranche was announced to support the budget, worth €80 million in grants to support the Ministry of Health and Population.

Egypt and the EU have a long strategic relationship. From 1977 to 1995, Egypt signed the Cooperation Framework Agreement with the EU, according to which 4 cooperation protocols were signed. Current cooperation is reflected in the Egyptian- European partnership agreement as a legal framework that governs the relationship between Egypt and the EU; the action plan within the framework of the European Neighborhood Policy (ENP) signed in 2001, that entered into force in 2004; and the partnership priorities between Egypt and the EU to strengthen cooperation in support of the country’s development agenda with about €1 billion in grants in the total current cooperation portfolio, supporting various sectors.