Signing the executive agreement for the European Union program to support trade and industry

Signing the executive agreement for the European Union program to support trade and industry

Countries are built on the basis of effective strategies in all sectors, and develop through systems that are concerned with promoting trade internally and externally. This is something that Egypt has been striving for in the past few years, and today it is taking one of the steps in this endeavor, as it aims to increase the participation of Egyptian enterprises – small and medium-sized – in industrial value chains, and this is by signing the “executive agreement for theEuropean Union program to support trade, industry, growth and rapid access to markets – EU Tigara”, at the headquarters of the Ministry of Planning, Economic Development and International Cooperation in the Administrative Capital.

This was in the presence of Lieutenant General Kamel Al-Wazir, “Minister of Industry and Transport, and Deputy Prime Minister for Industrial Development”, Dr. Rania Al-Mashat, “Minister of Planning, Economic Development and International Cooperation”, Ambassador Christian Berger, “Head of the European Union Delegation to Egypt”, and Patrick Guillabert, “Representative of the Regional Office of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization in Egypt.”

This important international agreement works to achieve two main goals: The first is: improving the capacity and efficiency of the Egyptian system concerned with enterprise development and trade, and the last is: increasing the participation of Egyptian enterprises – small and medium-sized – in supporting and developing value chain supplies in the industrial field.

Regarding this agreement, the Deputy Prime Minister for Industrial Development and the Minister of Industry and Transport – Lt. Gen. Kamel Al-Wazir – spoke about the importance of this cooperation between Egypt, the European Union and UNIDO, as the signatory parties to the agreement seek continuous coordination between themselves and the Ministry of Planning, Economic Development and International Cooperation; To develop the industrial sector and achieve comprehensive development throughout Egypt.

The Minister explained that the implementation of this agreement – which is a program funded by the European Union worth 8 million euros – will be through the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), and in cooperation – in addition to the European Union and UNIDO – between the Ministries of Industry, Investment and Foreign Trade, and this over a period of 60 months, and its goal is to increase the competitiveness of the Egyptian private sector, increase rates of sustainable economic growth, and create decent job opportunities.

What Lieutenant General Kamel Al-Wazir added is that the Ministry is striving with all its might to implement a comprehensive plan to advance the industrial sector, and in doing so it wants to transform Egypt into a regional industrial center, based on the directives of President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi. He also alluded to the Ministry of Industry’s interest in the human element, which made it work to develop 41 training centers affiliated with the Department of Productive Efficiency and Vocational Training, in cooperation between it and the private sector.

In the same context, the Minister of Industry and Transport and the Deputy Prime Minister for Industrial Development referred to the Ministry’s meetings and interviews with all manufacturers, investors and chambers of industry. So that the manufacturing process can be pushed towards further development.

For her part, Dr. Rania Al-Mashat, Minister of Planning, Economic Development and International Cooperation, affirmed the Ministry’s interest in coordination and harmonization between it and international partners. To implement government priorities such as localizing industry and enhancing investment in human capital. Al-Mashat explained that the program is a very important step to unify national and international efforts. In order to enhance the capacity of the industrial sector, support small and medium-sized companies, and enable company owners to access new markets, as well as providing more job opportunities.

Dr. Rania Al-Mashat also valued the Egyptian-European ties and relations, which were evident in the beneficial partnership between the two sides during the Egyptian-European summit last March, which provided serious opportunities for joint work and pushed sustainable development efforts between the two parties.

From this standpoint, the head of the European Union delegation to Egypt – Ambassador Christian Berger – spoke about the importance of this partnership, saying: “For more than twenty years, the European Union has been Egypt’s partner at the commercial level, and this is within the framework of the free trade agreement. What links the European Union with Egypt is a comprehensive and strategic relationship.”

Also, Dr. Patrick Guillabert, representative of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization – UNIDO, stressed the importance of this agreement, as a commercial project and a strategic bridge towards creating a breakthrough in the Egyptian industrial sector, by promoting innovation, improving institutional regulations and sustainable practices.

It is worth noting that the amount of cooperative investment between Egypt and the European Union amounts to approximately 1.3 billion euros, which is an investment in multiple forms, such as grants and mixed financing in the sectors of agriculture, transportation, water, and renewable energy. This cooperation includes 18 projects worth $52 million, including: the circular economy program, the trade and industry support program, as well as supporting the efforts of the Egyptian state in implementing international pledges related to the Montreal Protocol.

In conclusion, Egypt remains striving with sincere will and determination towards more comprehensive development victories, which are actual and tangible steps on whichEarth Guards – day after day – shed more light, as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) have become a necessity and a life.