Egypt and Switzerland Sign Circular Electronics Grant Agreement

Egypt’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and Egyptians Abroad hosted on Monday the signing ceremony for a grant agreement to launch the “Circular Electronics Initiative in Egypt”.

The ceremony was attended by Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty, Minister of Local Development and Environment Manal Awad, and Swiss Ambassador to Egypt Andreas Baum.

Under the agreement, Switzerland’s State Secretariat for Economic Affairs will provide a grant worth 1.4 million Swiss francs to Egypt’s Ministry of Local Development and Environment, represented by the Waste Management Regulatory Authority.

The project comes within the framework of the development cooperation partnership between Egypt and Switzerland, and is part of the technical and financial cooperation agreement signed between the two countries in January 2013.

The initiative aims to support the development of institutional and regulatory frameworks needed to apply sustainable practices for the reuse and recycling of waste electrical and electronic equipment.

It also seeks to strengthen the circular economy and improve resource management efficiency in Egypt.

Speaking at the ceremony, Abdelatty said the signing of the agreement marks a new milestone in the long-standing partnership between Egypt and Switzerland.

He said the agreement reflects the shared commitment of both countries to supporting sustainable development and expanding bilateral cooperation in priority sectors.

Abdelatty noted that Egyptian-Swiss relations are built on more than 90 years of diplomatic ties and over 45 years of successful development cooperation.

He added that Switzerland is a trusted development partner for Egypt, with joint cooperation programmes supporting several priority development sectors.

The foreign minister also referred to the launch of Switzerland’s fourth cooperation programme in Egypt in 2025, describing it as a new step towards strengthening the development partnership between the two countries.

For her part, Awad said the initiative comes at an important time, given Egypt’s growing focus on sustainable waste management, particularly electronic waste.

She said e-waste is one of the fastest-growing types of waste globally, posing environmental and health challenges while also offering promising economic opportunities as Egypt moves towards a green and circular economy.