EU grants Egypt €117.9M to support water, energy sectors

CAIRO - 21 July 2022: The European Union will grant Egypt €117.9 million to support water and energy sectors, according to the Ministry of International Cooperation.

 

The ministry clarified Thursday that the grant will benefit the ministries of housing, utilities, urban communities, water resources, irrigation, finance, petroleum, mineral wealth, electricity and renewable energy.

 

Minister of International Cooperation, Rania Al-Masha, said that the grant aims to support the state's development plans and priorities through effective development cooperation, and in line with the efforts made by the state to promote the transition to a green economy and implement environmentally friendly projects, especially as Egypt prepares to host the United Nations Climate Conference COP27.

 

She added that the new grant comes within the framework of keenness to consolidate international partnerships, achieve maximum benefit from development finance, and enhance bilateral and multilateral cooperation, emphasizing Egypt's commitment to strengthening international cooperation mechanisms and development financing.

 

The minister explained that the water and energy sectors in Egypt are given a great priority by the government because of their importance in maintaining economic growth rates and promoting sustainable development.

 

“The government is working on ambitious plans to enhance the sustainable management of water resources through the expansion of seawater desalination projects, and the treatment of sewage water for reuse in irrigation of agricultural lands,” she stated, adding that the International partnerships have contributed to the financing of many vital projects in this field, such as the Bahr el-Baqar water treatment system, the Mahsama water treatment plant, and the Yellow Mountain.

 

Al-Mashat noted that the energy sector has witnessed great development for eight years, as Egypt succeeded, through the major national projects that were implemented, from transforming from an energy deficit to a surplus that is exported to other countries.

 

The government is also moving forward - according to the Minister of Cooperation - to expand renewable energy projects from various sources, whether wind or solar energy, and also expand green hydrogen generation.

 

She pointed out that the development partners have contributed to the financing of several renewable energy projects, such as the Benban solar power plant, which is a model to be followed in which government agencies, development partners and the local and foreign private sector participated, and Egypt is working to expand these projects to become a regional energy center.

 

The current cooperation portfolio between Egypt and the European Union amounts to about €1.35 billion in the form of grants to support several sectors, including transport, water, agriculture, small and medium enterprises, sustainable energy, environment and social protection as well as promoting stability, governance, capacity building and civil society. 

 

This is in addition to Egypt benefiting from many European initiatives and regional cooperation programmes.