Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly witnessed the signing ceremony of four financing agreements funded by grants from the European Union.

 

This took place on the sidelines of the Egyptian-EU Investment Conference, which was inaugurated on Saturday by President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and attended by Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission.

 

The agreements were signed by Rania Al-Mashat, Minister of International Cooperation, and Olivér Várhelyi, European Commissioner for Neighborhood and Enlargement.

 

The first agreement involves the "Cross-Border Cooperation Program for Mediterranean Basin Countries Phase III for the years 2021-2027," under which the European Union will provide funding of €263 million, representing 89% of the total program funding of €292 million for 15 countries.

 

This program will support the development of the private sector in Egypt and several Mediterranean basin countries in sectors such as sustainable tourism, cultural heritage, creative and cultural industries, digital transformation, agriculture and agrifood, blue and circular economy, education and training, energy, and green construction.

 

The second agreement pertains to the "EU Support for Youth Employment and Skills in Egypt" program, with a total value of €25 million. The program aims to support youth in acquiring various skills, including technical and vocational skills for employment, fair-wage jobs, and entrepreneurship.

 

The third agreement, the "EU support to the Next Generation" program, with a grant of €8 million, aims to support the national approach to child protection systems in Egypt. It will implement activities focusing on child protection frameworks, combating child labor, and providing a comprehensive approach to ensure children's rights to education, healthcare, nutrition, and housing.

 

The fourth agreement is the "Special Measures to Enhance the African Continent's Capacity to Manufacture Vaccines and Medicines and Apply Health Technologies" project, with a grant of €3 million. It aims to enhance local vaccine manufacturing and support the environment conducive to producing medical and health technologies through research and skill development.