The Ministry of International Cooperation witnessed the signing of a development financing agreement and 3 memoranda of understanding (MoUs) between the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), the Government of Egypt, and the private sector, to promote the transformation towards a green economy, paving the way for sustainable cities. This is also in support of the private sector’s efforts to expand its contributions to solar energy. This comes in light of the President of EBRD’s visit to Cairo; her first visit to the region since her election in October 2020. 3 Agreements Within the “Green Cities” The Minister of International Cooperation and Governor of Egypt at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), H.E. Dr. Rania A. Al-Mashat witnessed the signing of a development agreement between the Ministry of Housing, Utilities & Urban Communities, the Ministry of Local Development, and the EBRD to include the 6th of October City as part of the EBRD’s “Green Cities” project. This took place in the presence of Dr. Sayed Ismail, the Deputy Minister of Housing, Utilities and Urban Development; Major General Mahmoud Sharawi, the Minister of Local Development; Odile Renaud-Basso, President of the EBRD; Major General Khaled Abdel Aal, Governor of Cairo; and Dr. Jackleen Aze, Deputy Governor of Alexandria. The EBRD’s “Green Cities” sustainability programme aims to help cities curb environmental challenges, improve the quality of life, and combat the effects of climate change, through an action plan that will be implemented in cooperation with the bank. As a way to shift towards green cities, the EBRD will provide green financing for projects that shall be implemented across various sectors. The Green Cities project aims to incorporate 100 cities around the world by 2024. Al-Mashat stated that Egypt is moving forward with a transformation towards a green economy in order to become a leading regional model; this is in response to the urgency surrounding the preservation of the environment and the achievement of a sustainable recovery. The Ministry of International Cooperation seeks to strengthen international partnerships with multilateral and bilateral development partners, with the aim to provide green financing that supports the state's sustainable development agenda. The Minister of International Cooperation also explained that Egypt is seeking to develop its infrastructure through a large number of projects in the fields of transportation, new and renewable energy, and smart cities, among many others; in order to reduce harmful gas emissions and pave the way for a sustainable future. The Ministry’s partnership with EBRD in the “Green Cities” programme will advance the country’s green economy framework and will accelerate the pace towards achieving the UN 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Major General Mahmoud Sharawi, the Minister of Local Development affirmed that the cooperation between Egypt and EBRD encompases a sustainable- led development portfolio that the Government of Egypt values. Sharawi added that the EBRD is a major partner for the Ministry with regards to the Kitchener Drain project that is worth €79 million, and that is being implemented across 3 governorates: Gharbia, Kafr El Sheikh, and Dakahlia. Sharawi added that the “Green Cities” programme began through meetings in Stockholm in 2018, and during a visit to London to participate in the “Green Cities” Conference. At the time, Sharawi met with officials from EBRD and expressed Egypt’s aspirations in benefiting from the bank’s initiative to lay down action plans and strategic studies pushing towards green transition. The Minister elaborated that both Cairo and Alexandria have projects in transportation concerned with the renewal and development of the Second Metro Line in Cairo and in the development of Alexandria’s electric metro. He emphasized that cooperation between state ministries and the EBRD will help in achieving the national economic agenda. The President of the EBRD Odile Renaud-Basso said that the bank looks forward to working with Egypt in implementing the “Green Cities” programme to support the development of sustainable infrastructure that takes into account environmental standards, and sets the path to a better, and more resilient future. “The contributions made by our partners including the TaiwanBusiness – EBRD Technical Cooperation Fund, and the Government of Austria through the CREATE Fund managed by the EBRD, are essential in providing the necessary support to implement the Green Cities Action Plan in Egypt,” added Renaud-Basso. Dr. Sayed Ismail, the Deputy Minister of Housing, Utilities and Urban Development said that the “Green Cities” programme aims to advance the technical cooperation in the field of sustainability, assess environmental risks and overcome challenges through a comprehensive methodology that can achieve the desired results and identify environmental problems. He added that the “Green Cities” programme is integrated with other projects between the Ministry and the EBRD to enhance the country's strategy for the transition towards a green economy, and to launch “fourth-generation” cities in a way that promotes sustainable growth and creates job opportunities. The EBRD’s “Green Cities” programme aims to provide the necessary financing to transform cities into green, sustainable cities through investments that amount to €2.5 billion. Considering that cities produce 75% of the greenhouse gas emissions, this reflects the importance of the program in combating climate change. Through the support provided by the EBRD and international entities participating in the initiative, each city within the “Green Cities” Programme will develop a clear action plan defined in accordance with its priorities for facing the most pressing environmental challenges. An Agreement with the EBRD to Launch the Largest Private Sector Solar Power Plant in Egypt T