Cairo - Minister of International Cooperation Dr. Sahar Nasr signed 3 cooperation agreements worth EGP 2.5 billion (equivalent to approximately USD 135 million) with Mr. Abdel Wahab al-Bader, Director- General of the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development (KFAED), in presence of Kuwait's Ambassador to Cairo Mr. Mohammed Saleh Thuwaikh. The agreements included two grants, the first of which is to support the Syrian refugees and the second is provided to establish a 1000 MW solar power plant and an integrated factory for solar panels production (Silica). This is in addition to a financing agreement for establishing a seawater desalination plant in East Port Said. The Minister stated that she focused on rendering projects financed through such agreements influential with the greatest developmental and social impact on citizens through improving services provided to them, providing further job opportunities and improving the infrastructure to attract local and foreign investments. She noted that such agreements would benefit 500.000 citizens in many governorates either through providing drinkable water and various industrial and commercial activities or through improving health and sanitation services in a number of areas.
As indicated by the Minister, the purpose of the first agreement is to contribute to financing the establishment of a 150.000 m3/d seawater desalination power plant in the New East Port Said City being established for urban, commercial and industrial activities, given that the project will be implemented by the Minister of Housing Dr. Mustafa Madbouly as assigned by President el-Sisi.
The project's implementation is expected to start by the beginning of 2017 and to be finalized by the end of 2019. It is deemed the second largest project to which KFAED financially contributes, within the framework of the Sinai Peninsula Development Project, following the first project of establishing 5 water desalination plants in South Sinai to which KFAED provided USD 100 million.
The second agreement, on the other hand, is a grant provided to finance several projects in the health, solid waste disposal and water and wastewater sectors which would be implemented in the refugee-centered areas, especially in Cairo, Giza, Alexandria and Damietta, stated Dr. Nasr. She added that USD 8 million would be allocated to the health sector projects, USD 6 million for the water and wastewater projects and USD 1 million for the solid waste disposal.
The Minister highlighted the role of projects financed by the grant in improving services provided to citizens, especially in light of the high demands on public utilities as a result of the huge consumption. In the health sector, for example, such projects aim to improve health services with regard to infection control by raising health awareness and providing the necessary vaccines through enhancing the most influential health services in the refugee-centered areas. The grant also includes financing a project aiming to improve the water and wastewater services in the refugee-hosting areas through improving the efficiency of 3 sub-lift stations, supporting and replacing water and wastewater nets in the New Damietta City, and improving the efficiency of 3 sub-lift stations in New Cairo and a sub-lift station and another main one in the 6th of October City.
An agreement has been reached to implement a project aiming to improve the level of municipal services in the refugee-intensive areas in Giza governorate through procuring 9 pick-up trucks, 8 garbage trucks and 2 dumper trucks, said Dr. Nasr. In January 2015, MoIC signed a grant worth USD 20 million provided by KFAED in support of Syrian refugees and the funds were allocated to the establishment of 30 schools in governorates with a large number of refugees, added the Minister.
The third agreement, as indicated by the Minister, is a technical assistance grant provided to prepare the technical and economic feasibility studies for the two projects of establishing a 1000 MW solar power plant and an integrated factory for solar panels production (Silica) within the framework of the government's national plan to develop the solar sector in Egypt so as to achieve Egypt's target of producing 20% of its energy from renewable sources by 2020.
The Minister commended the deep-rooted cooperation between Egypt and KFAED, stating that the cooperation portfolio with KFAED has reached up to USD 3 billion which financed 42 development projects in several sectors, in addition to 14 technical aid. For his part, Mr. al-Bader expressed his pleasure to sign the agreements with the Minister, noting that by next March KFAED will have fulfilled all its commitments regarding financing the rest of projects worth USD 300 million during the fiscal year. Dr. Nasr also held a meeting with the Minister of Housing to develop the action plan of the Port Said seawater desalination project for urban, commercial and industrial activities, as assigned by President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi.
