At the beginning of her participation in the spring meetings in Washington, Al-Mashat meets with the leaders of the Japanese International Cooperation Authority (JICA).

The annual policy dialogue between Egypt and Japan will be held in the second half of this year to strengthen joint relations

Dr. Rania Al-Mashat, Minister of International Cooperation and Governor of Egypt at the World Bank, held a meeting with Hideki Matsunaga, Advisor to the Middle East and Europe Department and Chief Representative of the Ukraine Office at the Japan International Cooperation Authority (JICA), Kei Toyama, Director General of JICA in the Middle East and Europe, and Takanori. Morishima, First Deputy Director of the Middle East and Europe Department, at the beginning of her participation in the spring meetings of the World Bank Group and the International Monetary Fund in Washington, DC.

Al-Mashat affirmed the Egyptian government’s appreciation for the joint cooperation with the Japan International Cooperation Authority (JICA), which reflects the convergence of visions and viewpoints between the leaderships of the two countries and the keenness to strengthen joint efforts in achieving development, facing common challenges, and coordination at various regional and international levels.

She pointed out that the fruitful Egyptian-Japanese relations resulted in constructive and essential partnerships in many strategic areas in sectors that enhance investment in human capital such as health and education, as well as infrastructure development to support comprehensive and sustainable growth, as the Japanese side contributed to financing the insurance project. Comprehensive health care, as well as many projects such as metro lines, supporting renewable energy conversion efforts, and developing education.

The Minister of International Cooperation discussed with the Japanese side joint efforts to support the state’s steps in implementing economic and structural reforms, enhancing the competitiveness of the Egyptian economy, developing the private sector, and supporting efforts to transition to a green economy, through financing development policies.

She stressed that cooperation with JICA takes place within a framework of integration with the efforts made with other development partners.

The discussions touched on the details and preparations of the technical mission scheduled to come from the Japanese International Cooperation Authority to Egypt during this April to continue discussions on future cooperation.

• Future cooperation programs

The meeting witnessed constructive discussions about future cooperation programs between the two sides in the field of culture and food security, especially in light of the implementation of the projects of the national platform for the “Novi” program, the axis of the connection between water, food and energy projects, where cooperation is being strengthened with the Japanese side to develop programs to support small farmers and focus on Low-income people, and developing a strategic approach to enhance agricultural production and increase the area of ​​agricultural land, which will reflect positively on improving the living standards of rural communities.

The Minister of International Cooperation stated that it is planned to hold the annual Egyptian-Japanese policy dialogue in the second half of this year, within the framework of the efforts undertaken by the Ministry under the umbrella of the state vision to advance joint relations between the two sides, and coordination between the national authorities and the Japanese side, especially in light of the agreement on Raising relations between the two countries to the level of a strategic partnership.

• Transformation of Egyptian-Japanese relations

The joint Egyptian-Japanese relations witnessed a qualitative shift during the era of President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, as the late Japanese Prime Minister, Mr. Shinzo Abe, visited Egypt in 2015, followed by the visit of President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi to Tokyo in 2016, based on which advanced steps were taken to begin a new phase of Bilateral relations and the launch of several initiatives for joint cooperation in the fields of education, health, electricity and infrastructure.

During April 2023, President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi received Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, on a three-day visit, which witnessed an agreement to raise relations between Egypt and Japan to the level of a strategic partnership, as the culmination of an extended process of renewed historical relations between the two friendly countries. The two sides also discussed Ways to enhance joint bilateral cooperation between the two countries, especially in the fields of investment and trade, education, health, information technology, transportation, renewable energy, and the Grand Egyptian Museum, which is a prominent sign of fruitful development cooperation between the two countries.

• Diversification of the development cooperation portfolio

Japan is considered one of the most important Asian development partners for Egypt, as the development cooperation portfolio includes more than 18 development projects in support of the government’s plan to achieve sustainable development goals, with a value of approximately $3 billion, from 2010 until now, in addition to many development grants in the fields of… Health, education, energy, electricity, transportation, civil aviation, tourism, antiquities, irrigation, and education, in a way that supports sustainable economic growth, social inclusion, education development, human resources development, regional cooperation, and support of the national strategy to combat climate change.

• Annual high-level policy dialogue

Within the framework of the coordination role of the Ministry of International Cooperation to discuss ways to enhance the Egyptian-Japanese partnership through economic diplomacy efforts, an annual high-level policy dialogue is held between the Egyptian and Japanese sides to discuss proposals for future cooperation and technical cooperation, in line with the development axes and Egypt’s Vision 2030, in In light of the role played by the Ministry of International Cooperation to coordinate between government agencies and multilateral and bilateral development partners.

The high-level policy dialogue between Egypt and Japan was held during July 2023, at the headquarters of the Ministry of International Cooperation in the New Administrative Capital, in light of following up on the development of joint relations and discussing future cooperation opportunities to enhance sustainable development efforts, under the umbrella of the state’s strategic priorities, Egypt’s Vision 2030, and the government’s “Egypt Goes” program. In the presence of representatives of the concerned authorities.