Minister of Planning, Economic Development and International Cooperation Rania el Mashat said that Egypt benefited from 26 projects within the first phase of the Interreg NEXT MED programme.
The Interreg NEXT MED programme had approved 60 new projects for various Mediterranean countries, with a total funding of €134 million, including €119 million in funding from the European Union.
Mashat added the 26 approved projects will focus on small and medium-sized enterprises, tourism, education, scientific research, technological development, innovation, and social inclusion.
She stated those projects include initiatives on combating climate change, enhancing environmental sustainability, improving water resource and waste management, developing renewable energy, and supporting integrated coastal zone management, particularly in light of growing environmental challenges.
The minister noted that her ministry, as being the national coordinator for Interreg NEXT MED programme, organised a number of sessions to encourage different bodies to table proposals for projects and benefit from available funding opportunities
Around 18 Egyptian bodies are due to benefit from funding allocated to the first phase’s projects, Mashat said.
She added that some Egyptian entities participated in projects funded by the Interreg NEXT MED program, including the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation, the SEKEM Development Foundation, the Confederation of Egyptian-European Business Associations, the Arab Academy for Science, Technology and Maritime Transport (AASTMT), the National Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries (NIOF) and the British University in Egypt.
