German Development Bank (KfW) has provided financing worth €41 million for Egypt to support the country's techincal education sector, Egypt's Minister of International Cooperation Rania Al-Mashat announced on Sunday. The financing, which comes as part of the debt swap program between the two countries, was allocated to Egypt's Ministry of Education and Technical Education to implement the Comprehensive Technical Education Reform Initiative (TCTI) in the country. This comes in light of the joint economic relations with Germany, and the Ministry of International Cooperation's endeavor to support Egypt's development agenda through international partnerships, according to Al-Mashat. The comprehensive technical education agreement in Egypt is the last one to receive financing within the second tranche of the second phase of the debt swap program between Egypt and Germany. The total value of the second phase amounts to €80 million, through which three development projects will be executed in several sectors, mainly in technical and vocational education sectors. Al-Mashat explained that the new agreement supports national efforts to develop technical education, prepare students for the labor market, and boost employment opportunities, which comes in line with the sustainable development goals (SDGs), especially the SDG 4 on quality of education; SDG 8 on decent work and economic growth; and SDG 17 on partnerships for the goals. She added that the cooperation with Germany targets securing grants and funds through contracts concluded between the Ministry of International Cooperation, state ministries, and the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ); as well as the projects funded by the Egyptian-German debt swap program and implemented in cooperation between Egyptian ministries and the KfW. "The coordination is underway with Germany to make the third tranche of the second phase available during 2022, after coordinating with stakeholders in Egypt and receiving proposals on priority projects," according to Al-Mashat. The ongoing cooperation portfolio with Germany amounts to €1.7 billion financing 30 projects through funds and technical assistance grants, covering renewable energy, sanitation, water resource and solid waste management, migration, labor market, innovation in the private sector, technical education, vocational training, urban development, administrative reform, women, youth, and local development areas. The first phase of the debt swap program with Germany was completed, with total development financing worth €70 million, serving several projects, including school development through feeding programs and improving the quality of education, rehabilitating hydropower plants, developing Assiut Barrages, and improving drinking water and sanitation. The first tranche of the second phase, worth €10 million, was made available for the Ministry of Education and Technical Education for the Education Quality Support Project (Phase II), in addition to the second tranche of the second phase of the program, which was worth €80 million. This fund was directed for several projects across various sectors: the development of the Human Capital in Rural Upper Egypt in collaboration with the World Food Program in cooperation with the Ministry of Education and Technical Education; the Improved water & wastewater services programme (IWSP) in the governorates of Qena, Assiut, Minya and Sohag; and the new the Comprehensive Technical Education Reform Initiative (TCTI).
