Egyptian Minister of International Cooperation Rania al-Mashat said on Saturday that Japan is one of Egypt’s most important Asian development partners, as their development cooperation portfolio includes more than 18 projects worth around US$ 3.9 billion.
These projects come in support of the government’s plan to achieve sustainable development goals, from 2010 until now.
Mashat’s statements came during her meeting with the new Director General of the Japan International Cooperation Authority (JICA) for the Middle East and Europe, Kei Toyama, as he began assuming his duties.
She referred to many Japanese development grants in the fields of health, education, energy, electricity, transportation, civil aviation, tourism, antiquities, irrigation, and education.
These grants support sustainable economic growth, social inclusion, education development, human resources development, regional cooperation, and support of the national strategy to combat climate change, she said.
She added that during the current year, a high-level annual policy dialogue was held between the Egyptian and Japanese sides at the headquarters of the Ministry of International Cooperation.
They discussed proposals for future cooperation, in line with Egypt’s Vision 2030 and the role played by the Ministry of International Cooperation to coordinate between government agencies, and multilateral and bilateral development partners.
Mashat expressed her appreciation for the ongoing cooperation with Japan and the role played by the JICA in supporting national development efforts and priorities.
She added that the annual report of the Ministry of International Cooperation for the year 2023, entitled “Platforms for Policy-Making and Activating Partnerships,” reflects the volume of ongoing collaboration with Japan and its diversity in many sectors.
