Egypt receives $240 mln from Japan for energy, green economy transformation

Egypt’s ministries of international cooperation and finance inked on Monday an agreement with the Japanese government, represented by the Japanese Embassy in Cairo and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). The deal provides a development finance of $240 million for Egypt.

The agreement was signed by Minister of International Cooperation Rania Al-Mashat, Minister of Finance Mohamed Maait, and Chief Representative of JICA Egypt Office Omura Yoshifumi, in the presence of a number of Egyptian and Japanese officials.

The accord targets development financing policies in energy and budget support in Egypt, aiming to enhance the green growth and sustainable development as well as alleviating the repercussions of climate change and countering the impact of COVID-19.

Al-Mashat said the agreement comes in the aftermath of one-year negotiations despite the coronavirus crisis and the repercussion of lockdown globally.

She added that Japan’s current cooperation portfolio with Egypt amounts to $2.7 billion used in 14 projects in a number of developmental sectors, including electricity, education, higher education, scientific research, tourism and antiquities.

Al-Mashat emphasised Egypt’s appreciation of the development finances that the Japanese government has extended to Egypt to back the country’s efforts in fighting coronavirus.