Cairo – Mubasher: The Egyptian Minister of International Cooperation, Rania El-Mashat, announced that the House of Representatives approved three decisions taken by the President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi related to international agreements with development partners, which in total amount to $92.5 million, according to a recent statement. 

These agreements include: presidential decision no. 409 of 2020 approving the agreement between Egypt and the French Development Agency (AFD) 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 US regarding the Egyptian-American higher education initiative, as well presidential decree no. 362 of 2020 approving the Canadian grant to close the gaps in sexual and reproductive health rights.

Development of Cairo Metro

El-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 AFD, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), and the European Investment Bank (EIB) in the financing of this project, which is implemented by the National Authority for Tunnels (NAT).

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 modernise Cairo Metro Line 1, which extends from the new El-Marg station in the north to the Helwan station in the south, linking it to the second and third lines of the subway.

El-Mashat noted that this agreement contributes to the achievement of four sustainable development goals (SDGs), namely the eight goal for decent work, the ninth goal for industry, innovation, and infrastructure, the 11th goal for sustainable cities and societies, and finally the 17th goal related to partnerships for the achievement of these goals.

Higher Education

In regards to the aid grant agreement between Egypt and the US for the Egyptian-American higher education initiative, El-Mashat stated that according to this agreement, an amount of $30 million will be directed towards developing higher education to create an educated workforce that meets the needs of the labour market and to strengthen the capacity of Egyptian higher education institutions.

Reproductive Health Rights

As for the Canadian grant to close the gaps in reproductive health and rights in Egypt, El-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 CAD 14 million, and is implemented in partnership with the Ministry of Health and Population as well as the Ministry of Youth and Sports.

El-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.

Moreover, the Ministry of International Cooperation 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 the 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 mobilise 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.