Egypt signed a €50 million funding agreement and a grant of €1.5 million with the French Development Agency, in addition to a €10-million grant agreement with the European Union and the French Development Agency, bringing the total funding to €61.5 million, in order to support the third phase of the expansion of Al Gabal Al Asfar wastewater treatment plant, as stated by the Egyptian Cabinet on Tuesday. The project, one of the largest in Egypt, the Middle East, and Africa aims to enhance sewage treatment services nationwide as part of Egypt's efforts to promote sustainable water resource management and strengthen ties with Team Europe. The joint co-operation is aimed to expand one of Egypt's largest wastewater treatment plants to serve 17.5 million people by 2040, increasing the plant's capacity by one million cubic metres per day. The use of advanced technology and tertiary treatment will enable the reuse of treated water for agricultural irrigation, supporting the state's efforts to adapt to climate change and enhance water resources from non-traditional sources. The plant's operations also embrace the circular economy concept by using sludge to generate biogas, providing a renewable energy source for 80 per cent of the plant's electricity needs and reducing carbon emissions from conventional electricity. This initiative aligns with the sixth goal of the Sustainable Development Goals related to clean water, with such projects accounting for approximately 20 per cent of the developmental cooperation portfolio.
