Swiss embassy to launch $1.2M development project in Sohag

CAIRO – 19 May 2017: A $1.2 million development project aiming to improve the economic livelihood of 1000 people in Sohag Governorate will be launched on May 21 by the Swiss embassy in Cairo, according to a statement issued by the embassy Thursday.

An integrated program for economic and social development, Hayaah II (Arabic for Life) will be providing trainings and opportunities to generate income from the agriculture field.

The Hayaah II project will set up a fund to promote entrepreneurship in Sohag, which is expected to directly benefit 1000 people, 60 percent of which are males and 30 percent are females. The program will also indirectly benefit other individuals who will participate to the program, such as local training providers, youth and women's associations and volunteers.

The project aims to deal with the main causes of unemployment in Sohag, such as education problems and means to generate income from the promising agriculture sector, the statement read.

It also aims to support the youth, women and children of Sohag, by developing new ideas to enhance entrepreneurship skills and find job opportunities.

The project will be carried out by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), in cooperation with the Egyptian Ministry of Local Development in Sohag Governorate.

Switzerland's ambassador to Egypt Markus Leitner stated that his state has already participated in successful sustainable development projects, which were carried out in Upper Egypt in the past years, the statement read.

A ceremony will be held on May 21 in Sohag Governorate, marking the launch of the Hayaah II project; it will be attended by the head of the Office of International Cooperation of the Swiss embassy, the regional director of UNIDO as well as Sohag’s governor and a representative of the Egyptian Ministry of Local Development.

According to the statement, Hayaah I project has succeeded in benefiting more than 64000 persons in Minya Governorate between 2012 and 2014; it was funded by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), the Swiss embassy in Cairo and the Japanese government.