Minister of International Cooperation Dr. Rania Al-Mashat announced that the House of Representatives approved three decisions taken by the president related to the international agreements of the Ministry of International Cooperation with development partners, which in total amount to $92.5 million.
These agreements include Presidential Decision No. 409 of 2020 approving the agreement between Egypt and the French Development Agency to renew and develop the first line of the Cairo subway, and Presidential Decree No. 455 of 2020 approving an aid grant agreement between the governments of Egypt and the United States of America regarding the Egyptian-American Higher Education Initiative, as well as Presidential Decree No. 362 of 2020 approving the Canadian grant to close the gaps in sexual and reproductive health rights.
Al-Mashat said that the first agreement comes within the framework of the “Global Partnerships for Effective Development Cooperation” multi-stakeholder platform launched in April 2020, which aims to strengthen partnerships to accelerate progress in development and create real impact in human’s lives.
The partnerships include the contribution of the French Development Agency, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the European Investment Bank in the financing of this project, which is implemented by the National Authority for Tunnels.
As the population is constantly increasing, and there is a greater need to create more job opportunities and bring prosperity through resilient and upgraded infrastructure, the project aims to rehabilitate and modernize Cairo Metro Line 1, which extends from the new Al-Marg station in the north to the Helwan station in the south, linking it to the second and third lines of the subway.
Al-Mashat noted that this agreement contributes to the achievement of four sustainable development goals, namely Goal 8 for decent work, Goal 9 for industry, innovation, and infrastructure, Goal 11 for sustainable cities and societies, and finally Goal 17 related to partnerships for the achievement of these goals.
In regards to the aid grant agreement between Egypt and the United States of America for the Egyptian-American Higher Education Initiative, Al-Mashat stated that according to this agreement, $30 million will be directed towards developing higher education to create an educated workforce that meets the needs of the labor market and to strengthen the capacity of Egyptian higher education institutions.
As for the Canadian grant to close the gaps in reproductive health and rights in Egypt, Al-Mashat said that the grant comes with support from the United Nations Population Fund under the name "Addressing gaps in reproductive health and rights in Egypt," which aims to support women’s reproductive and health rights by increasing their awareness on family planning and increase their access to health services.
The agreement is worth 14 million Canadian dollars and is implemented in partnership with the Ministries of Health and Population as well as the Ministry of Youth and Sports.
Al-Mashat noted that addressing women’s rights contributes to the nation’s economic welfare as a whole, as it strengthens our social fabric and promotes equal rights and respect for all.
The minister added that the ministry is working to enhance and advance economic diplomacy, which aims to push the country to play a proactive role in seeking out development opportunities and strengthen the means of implementation and partnership for sustainable development.
The second principle of economic diplomacy is working to create a new vision that focuses on three pillars: ‘People at the Core’, ‘Projects in Action’ and ‘Purpose as the Driver’ to showcase development projects in a transparent and clear way to shift mindsets, boost credibility and mobilize audiences to act on the SDGs.
As for the third principle of economic diplomacy, the minister aims to ensure that all projects are mapped according to the United Nation’s SDGs in order to coordinate efforts and accelerate progress.
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