• Al-Mashat Signs 4 Grants Agreements with the European Union under the Third Phase of Cross-Border Cooperation Program with Mediterranean Basin Countries, Supporting Vaccine and Drug Manufacturing, Vocational Training, and Child Protection
• Signing of a €56.7 Million Grant with the European Union Managed by AFD to Increase Wheat and Grain Storage Capacities in Egypt
• €2 Million Grant from the European Investment Bank to Assist in Managing Sludge from Wastewater Treatment Plants
During the Egyptian-EU Investment Conference, under the patronage of H.E. President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, President of the Arab Republic of Egypt, H.E. Dr. Rania Al-Mashat, Minister of International Cooperation, signed 6 development grant agreements with the European Union, the European Investment Bank, and the French Development Agency. This underscores the constructive and strategic relations with bilateral and multilateral development partners to support development efforts and enhance national priorities.
Minister of International Cooperation, along with Mr. Olivér Várhelyi, European Commissioner for Neighborhood and Enlargement Policies, signed 4 grant agreements. The first agreement pertains to the INTERREG NEXT MED Cross-Border Cooperation Program for the Mediterranean Basin, Phase 2021-2027. This aims to achieve three general objectives for Mediterranean countries through innovative projects that promote green transformation, meet social needs, enhance competitiveness, and reduce emissions, support governance, and inclusivity. The total cost of the program is €292 million, with the EU contributing €263 million (89%), benefiting 15 countries including Egypt. The program targets projects in sustainable tourism, cultural heritage, creative and cultural industries, digital transformation, agriculture and agrifood, blue and circular economy, education and training, energy, and green construction.
Additionally, the special measures program to enhance Africa's capacity for vaccine and drug manufacturing was granted €3 million. It aims to sustainably implement national plans to increase local manufacturing of medical products, ensure fair access to these products, and support the regulatory environment for pharmaceutical technologies through research, skills development, and regulatory environment strengthening at the regional level.
Furthermore, the EU support program for youth employment and skills in Egypt (EU4YES) received a grant of €25 million under the Global Europe Neighbourhood and International Cooperation Mechanism. The program aims to support youth and adults in gaining relevant technical and vocational skills for employment, fair-income jobs, and entrepreneurship.
This action enhances the achievement of sustainable development goals by supporting the technical and vocational education and training (TVET) system, improving the quality of education and training to meet specific labor market needs, including green and digital transformations.
Moreover, the EU grant support program for the protection of future generations received a €8 million grant under the Neighbourhood and International Cooperation Mechanism. It aims to support Egypt's national approach to child protection systems by focusing on policy, legal, and institutional frameworks to combat child labor, improve access to comprehensive services, and create a positive social environment for children through comprehensive child protection approaches ensuring their rights to education, health care, nutrition, and others.
French Grant to Increase Grain Storage Capacities in Egypt
On another note, Dr. Rania Al-Mashat, Minister of International Cooperation, and Dr. Ali El-Moselhi, Minister of Supply and Internal Trade, together with the European Union and the French Development Agency, signed the implementation agreement for the grant between the government and the European Union regarding the "Support for Improving Grain Storage in Egypt" project valued at €56.7 million, managed by the French Development Agency.
The agreement aims to develop wheat silo storage capacities, increasing Egypt's resilience against wheat supply market disruptions and external shocks by building additional capacity for wheat silos to enhance current capacity and improve the efficiency and quality of the local wheat supply chain by facilitating local wheat supply and reducing grain losses from traditional open storage facilities through improving wheat storage conditions in silos. The silos will be specifically designed to withstand climate conditions to maintain grain quality.
Technical Support Project for Sludge Management in Egypt
The Preparatory Technical Support Project for Sludge Management in Egypt, with a €2 million grant from the European Investment Bank, benefits the Ministry of Housing, Utilities, and Urban Communities. It provides technical assistance to prepare necessary studies for sludge management at several priority sites in Egypt, aiming to replicate identified model solutions across other sites to enhance sustainable development goals, especially good health and well-being, clean energy, sustainable cities and communities, responsible consumption and production, and climate action.