Egyptian PM, KOICA President Strengthen Ties with $8M Agreement to Boost Technical Education

Egypt’s Prime Minister, Dr. Mostafa Madbouly, hosted the President of the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), Mr. Won Sam Chang, during a pivotal meeting to enhance bilateral relations between Egypt and South Korea. Attendees included Korea’s Ambassador to Egypt, Mr. KIM Yong-Hyon, Egypt’s Minister of Planning, Economic Development, and International Cooperation, Dr. Rania A. Al-Mashat, and KOICA Egypt Office Country Director, Mrs. KIM Jinyoung.

Prime Minister Madbouly welcomed Mr. Chang on his first official visit to Egypt, describing it as a significant milestone in advancing political and economic cooperation between the two nations. He highlighted the partnership as a model for development cooperation, which aligns with Egypt’s Vision 2030 and supports sustainable development goals.

The Prime Minister also congratulated Korea on the success of the 2024 Korea-Africa Summit and reaffirmed Egypt’s commitment to expanding collaboration in priority development areas for both Egypt and the African continent.

Dr. Madbouly emphasized KOICA’s growing contributions to Egypt’s development, with an active portfolio exceeding $100 million. The Prime Minister expressed his desire to see more joint development projects with KOICA, particularly in areas such as technical education, green energy, advanced technology, and infrastructure development.

In his remarks, Mr. Chang praised Egypt’s economic resilience and its leadership in the region. He noted that KOICA has designated Egypt as a priority partner country, with cumulative support reaching $88.8 million as of 2023. In 2024, KOICA increased its funding to $12.6 million, supporting six active projects under its Country Plan.

Mr. Chang outlined KOICA’s focus areas in Egypt, including creating sustainable employment through digital innovation, improving governance through digital transformation, and promoting social inclusion by enhancing the capacities of women and vulnerable groups.

He also announced a broader strategic goal for Korea to expand its Official Development Assistance (ODA) globally, with the budget increasing from $3 billion in 2023 to $5 billion by 2025. For the first time, KOICA’s budget for Africa in 2024 surpassed that of Asia, reflecting Korea’s growing commitment to the continent.

On the sidelines of the meeting, a landmark agreement was signed between Ambassador KIM Yong-Hyon and Dr. Rania Al-Mashat to implement the project, “Enhancing the Educational Capacity and University-Industry Cooperation of Beni-Suef Technological University (BTU).”

Valued at $8 million, the project aims to bridge the gap between academia and industry by introducing innovative, industry-tailored curricula in fields such as ICT, mechatronics, autotronics, and railway technologies. It also includes the establishment of a new department focused on railway technologies. The initiative will run from 2023 to 2028 and is expected to provide the Egyptian labor market with a highly skilled workforce equipped for advanced technical roles.

This project builds on the successful completion of KOICA’s previous initiative, the “Establishment of the Egyptian-Korean Technological College in Beni Suef,” which concluded in 2022.

Prime Minister Madbouly praised the signing of the second phase of this collaboration, emphasizing its importance in aligning technical education with market demands and fostering industrial innovation.

Dr. Rania Al-Mashat expressed her aspiration to further expand the scope of cooperation with Korea, particularly in areas such as renewable energy, smart infrastructure, and education reform. She highlighted the potential for increasing Korean private sector involvement in Egypt through public-private partnerships, which would contribute to economic growth and create opportunities for collaboration across Africa.

She also underscored the importance of leveraging Korea’s expertise in digital transformation and innovation to create a roadmap for long-term partnerships that align with Egypt’s Vision 2030.

KOICA President Mr. Chang noted Egypt’s strategic importance not only as a recipient of development aid but also as a potential donor country capable of providing technical assistance to other African nations. He expressed interest in expanding triangular cooperation initiatives, where Egypt and Korea could jointly support development projects across the continent.