Across sector agreements were signed on Monday on the sidelines of French President Emmanuel Macron’s first visit to Egypt. The numbers of agreements, letters of intent, protocols are over 30. Daily News Egypt published the details of the intergovernmental protocols, joint declarations and agreements between the Egyptian government and the French side, as well as the commercial cooperation between the French private sector and Egyptian companies.
Three intergovernmental protocols
The French Minister of Economy and Finance and the Egyptian Ministry of Investment and International Cooperation, representing the Ministry of Transports, signed a Letter of Intent (LoI) for a security audit by the SNCF of two railway lines of the Egyptian National Railways.
The French Minister of Economy and Finance and the Egyptian Ministry of Supply and Internal Trade signed a LoI for technical assistance by SEMMARIS (RUNGIS) for the development of wholesale markets in Egypt.
The French Ministry of Economy and Finance and the Egyptian Minister of Communications and Information Technology signed a declaration to enhance bilateral cooperation in promoting startups in the field of information technology.
19 Joint declarations and agreements
The Egyptian Military Medical Services Department affiliated to Egypt’s Ministry of Defence signed with Sanofi Pasteur a MoU for cooperation discussions in the development of vaccination scientific knowledge, the development of an Egyptian National Immunisation Programme, and the supply and manufacturing of vaccine products in Egypt.
The Suez Canal Economic Zone (SCZone) signed a MoU with Ecoslops and ETAGE group for transforming oil residues from shipping (slops and sludges) into new recycled fuels following a feasibility study financed by the government of France.
The Ministry of Social Solidarity signed an agreement with Schneider Electric to bring electrical energy to the poorest villages in Egypt. The Ministry of Social Solidarity also signed a MoU with Orange Egypt to implement a strategy to develop the cashless payment, collection services, and use Orange Money to pay and collect all dues for all entities and programmes under the Ministry (Mastoora, Takafool and Karama etc.).
Crédit Agricole Egypt inked a MoU with the Ministry of Social Solidarity for improving access to digital banking in remote areas. L’Oréal Egypt and the Ministry of Social Solidarity inked a MoU related to training female entrepreneurs.
Additionally, the Ministry of Health and Population signed with Axa a joint declaration regarding the decision to open a network of primary care polyclinics in Egypt (1bn EGP) and a cooperation protocol to open the first primary care polyclinic. The Minister of Health agreed with Sanofi on a global cooperation.
Engie (as leader of the consortium with Toyota Tsusho and Orascom) and the Egyptian Electricity Transmission Company (EETC) affiliated to the Ministry of Electricity and Renewable Energies signed a confirmation of the Joint-Development Agreement signed with EETC on December 20th, 2018 for the construction, operation, and maintenance of a 500MW wind farm in Ras Gharib with about €600m.
Orange and the Ministry of Electricity and Renewable Energy agreed on a cooperation protocol to generate energy through renewable sources and to allow Orange to use the produced renewable energy to supply its sites all over Egypt with about EGP 250m.
The Internal Trade Development Authority (ITDA) affiliated to the Ministry of Supply and Internal Trade signed with SEMMARIS a MoU for technical assistance in the development of wholesale markets in Egypt.
The Academy for Scientific Research and Technology affiliated to Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research signed with Valeo Egypt a protocol to support academia industry research in the field of automotive electrification and automated driving.
The Egyptian National Railways affiliated to the Ministry of Transport signed with the SNCF an agreement for a security and operation audit for two railway lines. The National Authority for Tunnels signed with Vinci a MoU for phase 4C of line 3 of the Greater Cairo Metro.
The Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, signed a cooperation agreement to transfer the Orange call centre to the technological park of Assiout (Silicon Waha), to extend Orange Fab-lab network in Egypt and to strengthen Orange Labs.
Téléperformance agreed with the Information Technology Industry Development Agency (ITIDA) on a convention on competency management programmes (acquisition of talent, training and development, performance management).
Idemia signed with Egypt an agreement for a jointly established a software development centre focusing on different sectors (identity applications, secure documents, mobile solutions with about EGP 200m).
Valeo Egypt signed with the Information Technology Industry Development Agency (ITIDA) a MoU to build competence, create jobs, and foster innovation by leveraging Artificial Intelligence and digitisation in the electronic automotive systems.
The Administrative Capital for Urban Development discussed a MoU with the EDF on cooperation for the implementation, operation, and maintenance of the electricity grid of the New Capital.
Nine agreements for private commercial cooperation
Both sides agreed on nine agreements for private commercial and cooperation, the first cooperation agreement being between Groupe SEB and Zahran Group for the development of local production of small appliances.
The second partnership is between MND and El Sewedy for the development of integrated cable transport systems with commercial activities on touristic sites.
The third partnership includes Famoco and System Engineering of Egypt, for the development of hardware and software payment solutions.
The fourth cooperation is a MoU between Cerway and Misr Insurance to support bilateral cooperation to strengthen the environmental quality of building refurbishment projects in downtown Cairo which represents a historical heritage.
The fifth cooperation is between Isigny Saint-Mère and Liptis Egypt for the renewal of a distribution contract for Isigny Sainte-Mère products in Egypt while the sixth cooperation is a MoU between Schneider Electric and Tatweer Misr to develop smart city infrastructure.
The seventh cooperation is between AXA and the Lead Foundation to extensd the 2018 agreement to insure microcredit entrepreneurs (among which 80% are women) with micro insurance, while EDF signed a joint-venture agreement with Al Ahly Capital and Edison Egypt Energy Services.
The ninth agreement was between Edison Egypt and Saint-Gobain Gyproc Egypt for a feasibility study and implementation of a cogeneration system of gas consumption on the group’s industrial sites.
Both countries discussed two possible agreements including one between IDEMIA and the Central Bank of Egypt, while the other possible agreement is between Voltalia Egypt and Air Liquide Egypt.
