Egypt’s Minister of International Cooperation, Rania Al-Mashat, has bid farewell, during a virtual call, to Sherry Carlin, USAID Mission Director to Egypt, for her years of service in the country.
The minister also extended her thanks to Carlin for her part in pushing forward Egypt’s impactful development outreach programmes through the USAID.
“Cooperation between the Egyptian and US governments through USAID projects has been multidisciplinary, with measurable impact on people’s lives,” Minister Al-Mashat said.
For her part, Carlin congratulated the Egyptian government’s efforts, and commended Minister Al-Mashat’s leadership. Carlin also emphasised that the Ministry of International Cooperation’s role in transforming Egypt’s development was visionary and results oriented.
“During the five years here, the journey has been incredible, and the crucial transformation that underpins everything we seek to do, is the partnership we have with the Government of Egypt,” Carlin noted. “We always speak about opportunities, and there are only opportunities ahead of us.”
Carlin has also expressed her gratitude and admiration on development projects executed in North Sinai.
“I’ve witnessed great transformation in North Sinai. Through a $50m infrastructure project, USAID worked with the governorate’s leadership and the Sinai Water and Wastewater Company to ensure that 450,000 residents of North Sinai have access to safe drinking water,” she added. “It’s astonishing to see desalination plants, deep wells, and reservoirs designed and constructed by Egyptians for Egyptians, with American support, emerge from the desert.”
Carlin also commended the Ministry of International Cooperation’s efforts in convening all development partners, and bringing them together for an inclusive dialogue on effective development cooperation. She also highlighted the ministry’s institutionalisation of public outreach programmes to engage and connect on a global and national scale.
“Under [Al-Mashat’s] current leadership, together we have pushed for more and deeper collaboration that has translated to impactful programmes that are fully in line with Egyptian government’s priorities,” Carlin said.
Minister Al-Mashat noted that the agreements with the USAID serve as an exemplary case across the board, as they are driven with purpose. The minister also said that they have impacted upon the livelihoods of Egyptian citizens, and answered many of the United Nations’ (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), such as Quality Education, Zero Poverty, Gender Equality and Health and Well Being.
A statement by US Ambassador to Egypt, Jonathan Cohen, noted that the North Sinai bilateral agreement reflects the strong and enduring partnership between the US and Egypt through the Ministry of International Cooperation.
He also highlighted the US government’s commitment to the people of Egypt, especially relating to critical economic development efforts in Sinai.
On 9 July, the USAID and the Ministry of International Cooperation celebrated in a virtual event the signing of six bilateral assistance agreement amendments worth $90m. The six amendments will support programming in the areas of higher education, basic education, joint US-Egypt science and technology cooperation, health, trade, investment, and agriculture.
The USAID programme in Egypt, totalling over $30bn since 1978, promotes a healthy, educated, and employed population. The current total joint portfolio between Egypt and USAID amounts to about $1bn through bilateral agreements in sectors including agriculture, basic education, higher education, health, and tourism. The two sides also have joint projects in trade and investment, water and sanitation, small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and women’s empowerment. The Egyptian American Business Fund is also involved in supporting SMEs in Egypt.
