The Minister of International Cooperation H.E. Dr. Rania A. Al-Mashat met with the Swiss Ambassador to Cairo, Paul Garnier, in light of the end of his tenure in Egypt.
Al-Mashat thanked the Swiss Ambassador for his efforts in strengthening cooperation between Egypt and Switzerland; affirming the deep relations between both sides.
During the meeting, the minister discussed with Ambassador Garnier the new cooperation program between Egypt and Switzerland (2021-2024), which will be launched soon.
They also delved into the most important proposed areas that will be focused on within the framework of the Government of Egypt’s priorities, especially in the sectors of environment, new and renewable energy, and women’s empowerment.
Al-Mashat and Ambassador Garnier also addressed the possibility of conducting field visits to some projects implemented in cooperation between both sides, which covers many sectors such as environment, urban development, etc.
Furthermore, both sides reviewed the project’s steps of implementation to provide clean drinking water for eastern Aswan city. This project is funded by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC).
Al-Mashat applauded the strategic economic cooperation between Egypt and Switzerland, which extends for more than 40 years, through which several cooperation agreements were signed across many fields.
She noted that this partnership plays a role in bolstering the private sector’s engagement in development, especially funds that are directed to pushing towards green transition.
The minister reiterated that 2021 is the year to provide more opportunities for the private sector to participate in development plans; especially through green financing tools, which have gained great momentum at the level of international institutions, within the framework of combating climate change’s repercussions, and supporting the transformation towards a green economy.
Al-Mashat affirmed that the Ministry of International Cooperation seeks to develop and strengthen relations with multilateral and bilateral development partners through the three key principles of Economic Diplomacy: Multi-Stakeholder Platforms, the Official Development Assistance Mapping to the SDGs, and the Global Partnerships Narrative.
For his part, Garnier thanked the Egyptian government and the Minister of International Cooperation for the fruitful cooperation during his tenure, to strengthen relations between both countries, despite the challenges COVID-19 imposed on the world.
He further affirmed Switzerland’s keenness to increase Swiss companies’ investments in Egypt, including the projects implemented within the framework of the partnership with the private sector, as well as contributing to the development of the railway system in Egypt.
H.E Dr. Rania A. Al-Mashat had previously held meetings with several officials from Switzerland in 2020, including Director General of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC); the Federal Adviser, the Minister of State for Swiss Economic Affairs; along with representatives of the business ecosystem and the Swiss Parliament, in addition to the Swiss Ambassador, to discuss the development of bilateral relations between both countries.
The partnership between Egypt and Switzerland extends for more than 40 years, during which the Swiss side contributed with more than 700 million Swiss francs to finance the implementation of more than 200 projects in various sectors.
In 2017, the joint strategy for cooperation 2017-2020 was launched to support the national development agenda in light of Egypt's vision 2030.
The ongoing development cooperation portfolio between Egypt and Switzerland amounts to $59.06 million to finance 7 projects in the fields of industry, urban development, water, housing, waste management, communications, and health.
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