Nasr signs agreements on sewage system, refugees

CAIRO – 29 October 2017: Minister of International Cooperation and Investment Sahar Nasr has signed two agreements with the European Commissioner for European Neighborhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations, Johannes Hahn, on improving sewage services and supporting refugees, a statement from the ministry said Sunday.

Nasr has additionally signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Hahn concerning the current economic cooperation program between the European Union (EU) and Egypt starting 2017 to 2020.

Along with Transport Minister Hisham Arafat, Nasr signed another agreement to modernize Alexandria’s tram, with a €8 million grant. The total agreements signed are worth around €600 million, including grants.

Nasr said that the MoU includes supporting Egypt’s economic reform program, social safety programs and the energy sector.

The agreements, meanwhile, will support the government’s plan to improve the country’s sewage system with an EU grant of €38 million and a €360 million grant from the European investment Bank and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development's (EBRD).

This project will provide around one million residents with better sewage services, in addition to providing more 30,000 permanent and temporary jobs, Nasr said.