Prime Minister Dr Hazem El-Beblawi met with the Emirati Minister of State Dr Sultan bin Ahmed Sultan Al-Jaber on Monday to discuss cooperation between both countries; the meeting was also attended by Minister of Foreign Cooperation Ziad Bahaa Al-Din. Cabinet Spokesman Hany Salah said that purpose of the minister's visit is to follow up on the progress of the Emirati developmental projects, which are part of the agreement to implement the Supporting the Egyptian Developmental Programme. The $4.9bn agreement was signed during El-Beblawi's visit to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) last October and involves funding a number of projects aimed at developing different sectors and service facilities to improve the living standards of the Egyptian people. The Emirati official mentioned that the situation in Upper Egypt is a matter of concern for the UAE, adding that he will be visiting a number of villages in the Upper Egyptian governorates for the purpose of constructing a development plan. El-Beblawi thanked the UAE for supporting Egypt. He applauded the early timing and volume of Emirati aid, the largest amount granted to Egypt by any Arab state, along with the significant management system that the UAE is using to implement the programme. The Emirati government appointed Al-Jaber to supervise the implementation of the agreement in addition to creating a permanent office in Cairo to follow up on Emirati developmental projects in the country. A high-ranking Emirati delegation led by the Emirati foreign minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed had visited Cairo on Sunday. Zayed met with Interim President Adly Mansour, Defence Minister and First Deputy Prime Minister General Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi and Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Ahmed Al-Tayeb. The visit reflects the fraternal ties between the two countries as well as the support of the UAE of "the [actions] of the Egyptian people" and the post 3 July roadmap, according to the official website of the Emirati Ministry of Foreign Affairs. "The UAE's support of Egypt reflects its belief that a stable and strong Egypt is a pillar and source of balance for all Arabs and regional countries," said Zayed in a statement at the conclusion of his visit to Cairo. The military spokesman's office confirmed Monday that the defence ministry has been commissioned by the government to execute the Emirati-funded development programme. According to a Sunday statement on the official Facebook page of the military spokesman's office, the Ministry of Defence is responsible for the execution of the development projects that are funded by the UAE in the fields of health, education and housing in the different governorates of Egypt. The statement added: "This is part of the role of the defence ministry to create a decent, stable life for the Egyptian citizen."
