The Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises Development Agency (MSMEDA) injected around LE 2.4 billion into local infrastructure projects in the last 6 years, targeting vulnerable villages through sanitation and other projects, states Minister of Trade and Industry Nevine Gamea.

The minister, who is also Executive Director of MSMEDA, added that the agency has opened up 30 million employment opportunities for irregular workers between July 2014 until the end of 2020.

Projects implemented by the agency included providing drinking water, developing sanitation networks, paving roads, clearing canals and drains, and restoring schools and youth centers.

Employment opportunities were provided through the infrastructure and community development projects that MSMEDA implements, under the auspices of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP). The projects, located across Egypt, have received funding from various donors.

Gamea noted that the agency is working within an integrated cooperation system with various ministries and governorates, to implement the directives of President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi. These directives have been put in place to provide a better environment for citizens in the villages most in need.

She added that the agency relies on implementing these projects with local contractors in various governorates, who are trained and qualified to use intensive labour instead of machinery and equipment.

This ensures daily wages for irregular workers who can develop their skills and increase their chances of obtaining better job opportunities after the projects ends. This comes in addition to providing community service projects in the fields of health, education, and the environment.

Gamea said that MSMEDA is keen to continuously coordinate with the Ministry of International Cooperation in providing the necessary funding for these projects. This will come from donors and international institutions, in order to expand their implementation.

The financing has helped the agency and its projects to continue functioning during 2020. This has also contributed to providing adequate income for thousands of irregular workers to face the economic conditions imposed by the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.