AFD allocates €15M to Egypt in fight against coronavirus

CAIRO - 15 June 2020: Minister of International Cooperation Rania el Mashaat said an agreement was signed between the Health Ministry and the French Ambassador to Egypt Stephane Romatet by which the French development agency AFD will allocate € 15 million to purchase medical equipment and personal protective supplies (PPE) against coronavirus for health workers.

In statements on Monday, Mashaat said the agreement is the outcome of a fruitful cooperation with Egypt's development partners and asserts the close and deeply-rooted relations binding Egypt and France in all fields, including the health sector. She pointed out that the project has been designed with the aim of expanding the comprehensive initial healthcare services.

Meanwhile, Health Minister Hala Zayed praised the level of cooperation with AFD and its efforts to support the Ministry in its fight against the coronavirus through supplying medical and preventive equipment. The project aims at developing primary care units in five governorates in Egypt including Port Said, Suez, Ismailia, Sharqiya and Daqahliya, she added.

The French ambassador, for his part, said that coronavirus has affected all our countries and its high time to show solidarity with our friends and partners to fight such pandemic.

ADF Country Director Fabio Grazi said the signing of this agreement with Egypt is a step that aims at supporting the Egyptian authorities to contain the coronavirus and its impact on the health, social and economic sectors.

Cooperation between Egypt and France in the health sector is one of the top priorities of the two countries ' relations through ADF funding. Major projects in this regard include supporting the healthcare budget in Egypt, the establishment of new hospitals, financing medical and scientific educational missions as well as other joint research projects.