Cairo, 15 December 2024 – The first Egyptian German Development Cooperation Day, hosted by H.E. designated Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to Egypt, Jürgen Schulz, commenced today, underscoring the Egyptian German joint efforts to promote sustainable development and just transition. The event brought together high-level officials, including H.E. Dr. Rania Al-Mashat, Minister of Planning, Economic Development and International Cooperation; H.E. Dr. Yasmine Fouad, Minister of Environment; H.E. Mr. Mohamed Abdel Latif, Minister of Education and Technical Education, and H.E. Prof. Dr. Hani Sewilam, Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation.

In the presence of H.E. designated Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to Egypt, Jürgen Schulz and H.E. Dr. Rania Al-Mashat, a signing ceremony was held for a Project Implementation Contract and Financing Agreements of the German Development Cooperation. H.E. Mr. Mohamed Abdel Latif and Dr. Regine Qualmann, Country Director of GIZ Egypt signed the Project Implementation Contract with for the project Technical Support for the Comprehensive Technical Education Initiative with Egypt amounting to 16.31million euros (TCTI). H.E. Dr. Rania Al-Mashat and Dr. Christoph Schäfer, Director of KfW Office Cairo signed a grant agreement for the “Financial Support of the Comprehensive Technical Education Initiative” (FCTI) worth 32 million euros.

Additionally, H.E. Dr. Al-Mashat signed a debt swap agreement for the project “Strengthening national capacity for quality education and health/nutrition services for social cohesion and resilience among crisis-affected populations and their host communities” worth 29 million Euros.

Under the theme “Partnerships for a Just Transition,” this event focuses on promoting social equity and economic resilience in the transition to a green economy. The event entails a keynote speech by H.E. Dr. Rania Al-Mashat, the Minister of Planning, Economic Development, and International Cooperation, in addition to a panel discussion titled “Bridging the Divide: Advancing Partnerships for a Just Transition for People and Planet.” The panel was moderated by Dr. Laila Iskander Kamel, Board Member at CID Consulting and former State Minister of Environment and former State Minister of Urban Development and featured distinguished speakers representing different stakeholders, including H.E. Dr. Yasmine Fouad, Minister of Environment, H.E. Dr. Hany Sweillam, Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation, Dr. Mohamed Bayoumi, Environment Specialist, UNDP, Dr. Iman Bibars, Chairperson, ADEW and Ashoka Arab World, Dr. Ghada Barsoum, Professor of Public Policy at AUC and Mr. Helmy Aboul Eish, Chief Executive Officer, SEKEM Group.

On the occasion H.E. Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to Egypt, Jürgen Schulz said, “The strength of a partnership isn’t measured by its longevity or its size. It’s measured by what it achieves for the people it serves.They’re about the young entrepreneur who finds a way to innovate in green technology because of the support we provide. They’re about the family who now has access to clean water because of the infrastructure we built together.”

From her side, H.E. Dr. Rania Al-Mashat, Minister of Planning, Economic Development and International Cooperation, stated: “Today we signed a new Debt Swap Agreement in addition to other projects, with a special focus on the education and health sectors. These projects not only enhance social services but also complement broader economic development efforts by creating jobs, enhancing livelihoods and fostering inclusive growth. Throughout the years, Germany has been a solid partner for Egypt when it comes to development cooperation and investments across diverse sectors, and we look forward to carrying out more joint impactful projects that support us in furthering our development agenda.”

On the theme of Just Transition, H.E. Dr. Yasmine Fouad, Minister of Environment, said: “Working on a Just Transition requires deep intervention on all governorates level; The Ministry of Environment has been extensively working with the Ministry of Planning, Economic Development and International Cooperation on the various initiatives that resulted from COP 27. This collaboration has provided local communities, youth and private sector with opportunities to showcase their innovations along with competitions across all governorates to foster competition and enhance competitiveness.”

On the topic of technical education and vocational training, H.E. Dr. Mohamed Abdel Latif, Minister of Education and Technical Education said, “We have successful experiences with Germany in technical education, including the applied technology schools’ model and the dual education model. The Ministry is currently working to transform 1,270 technical education schools into applied technology and dual education schools through collaboration with our partners.”

H.E. Prof. Dr. Hani Sewilam, Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation, stated: “Through our cooperation with Germany, Egypt has successfully implemented several key projects, including the Second National Drainage Program, the construction of the new Nag Hammadi Barrage, irrigation development initiatives in the Delta, and support from the German side for the Regional Training Center for Water Resources and Irrigation. We also aim to expand our future collaboration in the Fourth National Program Project focused on drainage, coastal protection, and the second phase of the Nile Delta Water Management programme.”

The event showcased success stories highlighting the achievements of Egyptian German cooperation in key areas such as reliable delivery of basic public services for all, Women Empowerment, Youth Education and Labor Market, Sustainability, Resilience and Egyptian German Partnerships. Live testimonials from young participants directly involved in these projects provided valuable insights. Through interactive sessions and thoughtfully designed displays, participants engaged in meaningful dialogues about the projects’ outcomes, celebrating the successes thus far.