CAIRO: Egypt and Germany could expand the horizons of their bilateral development cooperation provided that the Egyptian government makes available the conditions enabling such cooperation, said representatives of Germany in Egypt. In a German Embassy press conference Tuesday, German Ambassador Martin Kobler explained the commitments agreed upon with the Egyptian government in the area of development, saying that in 2004 German aid reached around 110 million euros. Being one of the most important partners in the Middle East and because of its strategic significance in the region, the German ambassador believes that developmental relations with Egypt, ongoing for around five decades, are important, playing a role in strengthening ties between the Arab country and the European Union. The German Embassy helps to coordinate between German activities and those of other donors in the area of economic reform. One of their main aims, says the embassy, is securing a better future for future generations in Egypt. Egypt is one of the foremost receivers of bilateral aid from Germany, being granted to date around 5 billion euros in developmental assistance. The assistance mainly goes toward financial and technical cooperation projects, and some of the current projects that cooperation with Germany's has achieved include constructing primary schools, water supplies and sewers in Kafr Al-Sheikh, a hydropower plant in Naga Hammadi and developing urban areas. The country has also developed, along with the World Bank and the Netherlands, irrigation in the delta and constructed a wind park in Zafarana. Germany has also helped launch the dual vocational training Mubarak-Kohl Initiative and promoted enterprises and micro-financing. "The development assistance that Germany provides is in the form of projects; something that every Egyptian citizen could feel and directly benefit from, says Kobler. Cooperating with other German institutions such as the KFW Development Bank and GTZ German Technical Cooperation office in Cairo, Germany has also been able to offer long-term courses in Germany in water and environment and a long-term stay for experts in the area of social market economy and education. Moreover, Egypt receives project funds from the KFW in the form of preferential loans and grants, supplemented by market funds guaranteed by the German government. According to GTZ deputy country director Ali Dessouki, the priority for funds are areas relating to the use of water and health care - safe and clean water supplies, sound sewage disposal and agriculture are all high on the list. According to their Egypt report, GTZ says that one of the main objectives of financial cooperation (FC) in irrigated farming is "to increase agricultural production and thus to assure income for small farmers as well as to use the water resources in an environmentally sound and efficient manner. The FC also aims to cover the construction of a new barrage, rehabilitation of pumping stations and upgrading draining channels and irrigation systems; involving farmers in the operation is also a main concern. In the area of environmental protection, Andreas Holkotte, director of the KFW Cairo office, says that Egypt needs to help by utilizing renewable sources of energy on a much broader scale. Egypt's potential for this is "great, Holkotte tells the press, "considering its wind conditions, its hot and sunny weather, and the hydropower potential of the Nile. Especially in terms of natural resources, the ambassador says that Egypt is not working hard enough to utilize their potential. "You still expect Germany to contribute with direct monetary funds to the Egyptian government [concerning energy generating projects], says Kobler. "However, I wonder why there aren't solar energy projects in Egypt. The solar energy has always been existent in Egypt. Why isn't it used for instance to warm water? A lot of countries use solar energy. "If such projects are initiated [by the Egyptian government] Germany would be more than happy to contribute in them, says Kobler, adding that producing energy from conventional sources in Egypt is possible and cheap. The German funds also aim, with the help of the Egyptian government, to improve living conditions in Egypt, where, according to the KFW report, projects in Boulaq Al-Dakrour and Manshiet Nasser are improving people's access to the basic infrastructure in terms of water, sewage, roads and community facilities. Increasing the capacities of primary schools is also a priority, with an aim to increasing enrollment rates, reducing the disadvantages that children suffer as a result of overcrowded classrooms especially in remote areas and fighting dropout rates. "We have a great interest in financing projects and advancing cooperation with Egypt, but the Egyptian government has to provide the environment and conditions that enable us to invest and achieve these projects, says Kobler. The German experts also said that the government has to ease the process of financing projects for non-governmental organizations (NGOs). The government has to license monetary funds for NGOs and it withholds the right to choose the NGO receiving the aid from any other entity; "that is why cooperation with NGOs is neither easy nor optional. "The government should not decide [alone] which NGOs deserve aid. On another level, the ambassador and German experts insist that Egypt "has much to give in order for the reform plans to be implemented and for foreign and local investment to be encouraged. In terms of cultural and political development, "there are many missing factors, says Kobler. The lack of democracy, participation of citizens in politics and the extension of the Emergency Law are all factors that should not be overlooked, according to the ambassador. "The European Union does not support the extension of the Emergency Law. This issue will be brought up in future negotiations with the Egyptian government, along with the issue of the independence of the judiciary. The human rights issue in not only an internal matter, adds Kobler. "The people must take part in the electoral process and major political decisions . All these issues are being discussed. "Nevertheless, on the general level, the policy of the Egyptian government is going in the right direction.
