The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Japan said they will expand a partnership supporting Egypt's crisis management to address the socio-economic impact of coronavirus with around $2.73 million funding. During a meeting, the two sides discussed the future steps for a development project titled "Supporting an Inclusive and Multi-Sectoral Response to COVID-19 and Addressing its Socio-Economic Impact in Egypt." The project focuses on supporting national and sub-national capacities for planning, coordination, and crisis management, besides addressing the socio-economic impact of virus particularly on micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) and vulnerable groups. The project is designed to benefit 3.7 million MSMEs, notably in retail and handcraft sectors, via support for digitalisation, and improved market access through e-commerce, according to UNDP. The meeting was attended by Japanese Ambassador Masaki Noke, Egypt's deputy planning and economic development minister Ahmed Kamaly, and UNDP officials. "Thanks to the generosity of Japan, we are delighted to work closely with the Embassy of Japan to support Egypt's efforts to respond and recover from COVID-19. Millions of people and vulnerable households are affected by the socio-economic shocks resulting from the COVID-19," said UNDP Egypt Resident Representative Randa Aboul-Hosn.
