Nevine Gamea, Minister of Trade and Industry, announced that the Egyptian government is about to sign a partnership agreement with the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO). The expected deal will contribute to improving the economic, social, and environmental performance of the industrial sector in Egypt.
According to Gamea, the partnership programme with UNIDO will focus on certain industrial sectors, especially those in which Egypt enjoys highly competitive advantages, such as textile, food, leather, furniture, chemicals, electronics, and creative industries.
The Minister explained that the partnership programme with UNIDO, which will be implemented in cooperation with various stakeholders in Egypt, comes in line with Egypt Vision 2030 to achieve sustainable development and the national strategy for the development of small and micro enterprises, and entrepreneurship.
The programme includes 6 basic components: governance and industrial policy, implementation of the fourth industrial revolution, transformation to green industry, encouraging investment, deepening value chains, and smart and sustainable industrial cities.
Gamea indicated that the programme’s main goals include increasing the industrial sector’s share in the GDP; reducing greenhouse gas emissions, carbon intensity, and industrial waste; and increasing the added value for industries with a technological component.
Meanwhile, Baseel El Khatib, Representative of UNIDO in Egypt, said the idea of the partnership programme with the Egyptian government is based on the Organisation’s desire to expand its programmes in Egypt and attract more funding agencies, in addition to increasing cooperation with the private sector.
Al-Khatib added that the programme will be implemented in coordination with concerned government agencies, the private sector, the banking system, and international donors.
Moreover, Abeer Al Saadi, Advisor to the Minister of Trade and Industry for Development Projects Affairs, said that the steering committee for the programme will convene every 3 months in addition to holding semi-annual meetings during the project period from 2021 until 2024. She added that the committee’s mission is to define the programme’s priorities, secure financing for projects, and to follow up on the implementation of the programme’s projects.
