Egypt, EU ink partnership deal on research, innovation in Mediterranean area

CAIRO – 27 July 2017: Egypt and the European Commission signed in Cairo on Thursday a Partnership on Research and Innovation in the Mediterranean Area (PRIMA) agreement.

The Scientific Research Ministry's foreign relations adviser Mohamed el Shenawy and Director of European Commission international cooperation Maria Cristina Russo inked the deal.

The signing ceremony was also attended by head of the European Union Delegation to Cairo Ambassador Ivan Surkos and head of the partnership agreement between Egypt and EU Raouf Mosad.

Mosad hailed relations between Egypt and the EU, pointing out at a meeting that was held on Tuesday to reactivate cooperation in all fields.

He also underlined the importance of technology and science, adding that development can not be reached without giving more attention to these fields.

The Partnership on Research and Innovation in the Mediterranean Area (PRIMA) aims to reach solutions for a more sustainable management of water and agro-food systems. The main objective of the ten-year initiative (2018 – 2028), which is partly funded by EU's research and innovation program Horizon 2020, is to devise new R&I approaches to improve water availability and sustainable agriculture production in a region heavily distressed by climate change, urbanization and population growth.

The partnership currently consists of 19 participating countries: Algeria, Croatia, Cyprus, Egypt, France, Germany, Greece, Israel, Italy, Jordan, Lebanon, Luxembourg, Malta, Morocco, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Tunisia and Turkey.