The US has, in partnership with the Egyptian government, granted over $100m in funding to conserve monuments across Egypt, according to US Ambassador to Egypt Jonathan Cohen.
The ambassador said that the funding has been pumped into conserving a range of monuments spanning from Ancient Egyptian times to the late Ottoman period.
Cohen’s remarks came during a visit to Luxor on Thursday, during which he visited several cultural heritage sites that have benefited from US funding for conservation efforts.
Other participants in the ambassador’s visit to the sites include Luxor Deputy Governor Mohamed Abdel Kader, US Agency for International Development (USAID) Mission Director Leslie Reed, and the US Embassy in Cairo’s Defence Attaché Major General Ralph Groover.
Ambassador Cohen visited sites at the Karnak Temple, the Valley of the Kings, Dra Abu El Naga, and Theban Tomb 110, all of which have received USAID funding.
“Egypt’s antiquities are an important part of its heritage and that of all humanity, but also an important asset that creates jobs and income,” Cohen said, “The US has, for decades, worked hand-in-hand with Egypt to preserve historical sites, strengthen tourism, and create jobs and income in the country.”
Since 1978, the US has invested over $30bn to further support Egypt’s economic development.
