Minister of Planning, Economic Development and International Cooperation and Canadian Ambassador to Egypt Sign Three New Projects to Empower Women and Girls and Enhance Food Security with a Grant of EGP 552 Million

H.E. Dr. Rania Al-Mashat, Minister of Planning, Economic Development and International Cooperation, and Mr. Ulric Shannon, Ambassador of Canada to Egypt, signed three new projects between the Egyptian and Canadian governments with a total value of approximately EGP 552 million.

 

Commenting on the signing, H.E. Dr. Rania Al-Mashat praised the strong Egyptian–Canadian relations and the shared interests between the two countries across a wide range of fields. She expressed her appreciation for Canada’s support to Egypt in various development areas, noting that Canadian-funded projects represent an important addition to national efforts toward achieving sustainable development. She emphasized that these agreements fall within the framework of integration between planning and international cooperation mechanisms to support comprehensive development efforts in Egypt.

 

H.E. Dr. Al-Mashat highlighted the current Canadian cooperation portfolio in Egypt, noting that total ongoing financing prior to the signing of the new projects amounted to approximately CAD 40 million (EGP 1.4 billion). These projects span key areas including women’s empowerment, economic development, health, education, and climate-smart agriculture. She further noted the geographic scope of the portfolio, which covers various regions across Egypt, from Upper Egypt (Assiut and Minya) to the Delta (Beheira, Gharbia, and Menoufia), as well as major cities including Cairo, Giza, Alexandria, and Damietta.

 

The two sides signed the Comprehensive Support Project for Refugee Women and Girls in Egypt, which contributes to strengthening the protection and social integration pillar within the Canadian cooperation portfolio. The project places special emphasis on the most vulnerable refugee women and girls by improving living conditions and facilitating access to services and protection. It also reinforces gender equality dimensions and complements ongoing national efforts to empower women in Egypt. The project is implemented through the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Aswan, Greater Cairo, Alexandria, and Damietta.

 

They also signed the Food for the Future: Empowering Women through a Comprehensive Approach to the Nutrition of Mothers and Girls in Egypt project. This initiative supports the health and nutrition pillar while expanding its impact to improve the quality of nutrition and healthcare services for mothers, girls, and children. The project enhances inter-ministerial cooperation and complements education and training programs such as EGY-CAN by strengthening local community capacities to improve nutrition, thereby contributing to the social and economic sustainability of beneficiaries. The project is implemented by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in cooperation with the Ministry of Health and Population in the governorates of Assiut, Qena, and Sohag, as well as Sharkia, Gharbia, Beheira, Cairo, and Giza.

 

In addition, the two sides signed the Empowering Women and Adolescent Girls in Upper Egypt (Masarat) project, which focuses on empowering girls and young women in Upper Egypt in line with the women’s empowerment pillar of the Canadian cooperation portfolio. The project promotes gender equality and improves access to reproductive health services, supports the Sustainable Development Goals, and complements ongoing development efforts. It places particular emphasis on younger age groups and strengthening local community capacity to deliver services efficiently. The project is implemented by the Ministry of Health and Population and the National Council for Women in the governorates of Assiut and Minya.