EU Amb. to Egypt: We support civil society for its role in achieving sustainable development

Ambassador Christian Berger, the head of the European Union delegation in Cairo, said that the European Union is the largest supporter of civil society around the world, for their great role in participating in making decisions that facilitate life and development in societies, especially as they are a link between governments and societies and are sufficiently aware of their problems. 

This came in his speech during the dialogue in which Dr. Nevin el-kabbaj, Minister of Social Solidarity, and Alessandro Fracasetti, representative of the United Nations Development Program in Egypt, participated with civil society organizations, about responding to national developments, which was held on the sidelines of the Aswan International Women’s Film Festival.

Berger pointed out to the European Union’s cooperation in Egypt with the Ministry of Social Solidarity and the United Nations Development Programme, in order to support civil society, within the basic funding priorities and principles of the European Union, noting that the crises that the world is going through, including Egypt, such as the Sudanese war on the Egyptian border, showed the ability of civil society to confront these crises.

Berger stressed the broad understanding of the work of civil society organizations that work on environmental and cultural issues, and others in many fields covering all aspects of life, explaining that the Aswan International Women’s Film Festival is one example of supporting civil society in terms of women’s empowerment.

Berger pointed out that the interest in empowering women also includes helping them save and invest money, establishing their own businesses, and hold leadership positions.