EU Ambassador Announces Initiatives to Develop COVID-19 Vaccine

The Ambassador of the European Union in Cairo Christian Berger announced that the Union has launched an initiative worth 60 billion euros to fund research on the coronavirus vaccine

The purpose of the initiative is to accelerate the process of finding a vaccine, to stop that pandemic, and to develop and effective vaccine to all people not only to those who have the ability to purchase it.

Berger pointed out, during the meeting of the Egyptian European Business Council on Thursday, that the pandemic prompted the return of about 600 thousand Europeans to their countries in a short time, and many citizens lost their jobs.

He added that European countries were keen to facilitate the passage of goods by launching the green road as part of the precautionary measures to confront the pandemic.

In another context, Berger explained that the European Union launched another initiative worth 4 trillion euros in loans and credit facilities to support investments in the fields of small and medium enterprises due to its national influence in supporting the groups most affected by the negative effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

He stressed the need to reconsider the health and security systems and how to conduct business, noting that despite the negative effects caused by the pandemic, it provides opportunities for developing joint economic relations with Egypt in various sectors as a main partner in the region to reach stronger economic relations in the future.

With regard to the Renaissance Dam crisis, Berger explained that the European Union is ready to participate directly in negotiations to reach an agreement that satisfies all parties.

On his part, the head of the Egyptian-European Business Council Mohamed Aboul Enein explained that the European Union is the main commercial and tourist partner in Egypt, adding that the whole world is going through exceptional circumstances due to the pandemic as it affected various countries.