EU to sign €170mn grant deals with Egypt this November – minister

European Union is to sign a number of grant agreements totalling €170 million (US$187 million) next November to fund service and developmental projects in Egypt, Egyptian minister of international cooperation said Thursday.

Minister Sahar Nasr said an agreement on natural gas home supply worth €68 million would be signed early November 2015. In addition, another agreement of €40 million to complete the third phase of Cairo Metro project’s third line is set to be signed by mid November.

The minister added that two agreements to finance Kafr El-Sheikh waste water project and ‘Enhancing access of children to education and fighting child labour” programme worth €32 million and €30 million, respectively, would be signed before the end of 2015.

Nasr also referred to her meeting with Ambassador James Moran – Head of European Union Delegation to Egypt – that tackled the EU-financed projects related to budget support programme in energy, medical, health, water, and transport fields. The two parties discussed solutions to solve all the problems that face the completion of these projects.

Moreover, the EU agreements will be signed in the presence of Federica Mogherini – High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission – within November 2015.