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Japan investing $ 3.9 bn in 18 projects in Egypt to achieve SDGs – report
Japan is one of Egypt’s most prominent development partners, and more than 18 projects are being implemented with funds exceeding $3.9 billion.
Japan is one of Egypt’s most important Asian development partners, as the development cooperation portfolio includes more than 18 development projects in support of the government’s plan to achieve the Sustainable Development Projects (SDGs), with a value of about $3.9 billion, since 2010 until now, according to a report by the Egyptian Ministry of International Cooperation.
Moreover, many grants are offered in the fields of health, education, energy, electricity, transportation, civil aviation, tourism and antiquities, irrigation, and education, in a way that supports sustainable economic growth, social inclusion, education development, human resource development, regional cooperation and support for the national strategy to combat climate change.
The report referred to financing the development of policies to support the electricity sector in cooperation with the Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA), which aims to finance the budget support program to develop the policies of the reform program for the electricity sector implemented in cooperation with the French Development Agency and the African Development Bank, in addition to enhancing financial sustainability management and operational efficiency of the energy sector, supporting the use of clean energy to promote the “Green Transition” strategy.
The report also tackled financing development policies to support the universal health coverage program, enhancing the government’s efforts to achieve universal health insurance by supporting financial protection and providing high-quality services to low-income people, and supporting economic stability and development efforts in Egypt.
The report also highlighted financing the project of the first phase of Line 4 of the Greater Cairo Metro, where the importance of the project comes in providing a means of transportation that serves 2 million citizens daily in a number of areas with high-population density, by linking the 6th of October city and the archaeological area with the pyramid using the metro network, which is in line with the government’s plan to reduce emissions and provide eco-friendly transportation.
The report also referred to financing the modernization project of Burj Al-Arab International Airport, with the aim of enhancing services provided to passengers on low-cost flights through the construction of a new passenger terminal at the airport with an annual capacity of 4 million passengers.
The report also tackled the Grand Egyptian Museum construction project (first and second phase) which was one of the most important projects funded by the Japanese side due to its importance in supporting the tourism sector in Egypt through a global tourist destination.
The report also referred to financing a project to raise the efficiency of energy use of three electricity distribution companies (North Cairo, Alexandria, and North Delta). The project contributes to improving energy use within the electricity distribution sector by reducing losses during the distribution and sale of electricity to the consumer, and the purchase of electric energy from public and private energy production companies (with low and medium power), maintenance and operation management of low and medium power generators.
The report highlighted also the human resource development project in the field of education and health (EC2), with the aim of dispatching 1,505 students and researchers over 5 years to train and obtain master’s and doctoral degrees in various scientific fields.
The “Egyptian-Japanese Education Partnership” program also aims to inaugurate 100 Egyptian-Japanese schools that implement the Japanese Tokkatsu education system, and within the framework of the project, 51 Egyptian-Japanese schools have been opened so far, 30 new schools have been selected in the governorates of a decent life to start applying the system to improve educational services, services and facilities in those Schools and teacher training, in line with the objectives of the “Decent Life” or “Haya Karima” initiative.
A Japanese grant was also offered for the construction of outpatient clinics for the Children’s Specialized Hospital – Abu El-Rish with an aim to supply medical equipment and services for the benefit of the Ministry of Health in addition to another grant for the supply of research equipment for the Egyptian-Japanese University. Moreover, a grant of $9.3 million was provided to supply medical equipment and services for the Ministry of Health to overcome the COVID-19 crisis.
The report also referred to supplying research equipment for the first stage of the Egyptian-Japanese University (E-JUST). The project aims to enhance education and scientific research at the university, as the necessary educational and research equipment will be provided for engineering education at the undergraduate level for eight departments at the university.
Several important projects are also implemented by the private sector in collaboration with the Japanese Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) to support the electricity sector.
These projects include signing an agreement to implement a project to establish a wind farm with a capacity of 500 MW in the Gulf of Zayt region, through cooperation with Sumitomo Company, with the remaining amount of $281 million. Last March, JBIC signed an agreement with the Red Sea Wind Energy Company worth $240 million to implement a project to establish a wind energy farm in Ras Ghareb in the Red Sea with a capacity of 500 megawatts, to be implemented through Toyota Tsusho Corporation and Egyptian Electricity Holding Company.
The project will be co-financed by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, Norinchukin Bank, and Societe Generale SA.
In November 2022, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) signed a loan agreement with the Abydos Solar Energy Company to finance the Kom Ombo solar energy project in the Arab Republic of Egypt. The International Finance Corporation (IFC) will jointly finance the project. This project aims to increase electricity supply from renewable energy sources by building and operating a 500 MW solar power plant in Kom Ombo, Aswan Governorate, southern Egypt, thus contributing to climate change mitigation by reducing CO2 emissions in Egypt.
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