CAIRO, July 11 (MENA) - Minister of Planning, Economic Development and International Cooperation Rania Al-Mashat lauded the significant progress in development cooperation between Egypt and the UK.

Al-Mashat made the remarks during her participation in a farewell ceremony for British Ambassador in Cairo Gareth Bayley, whose tenure in Egypt ended.

The ceremony was attended by a large number of public figures, as well as representatives of the British Egyptian Business Association (BEBA).

The minister highlighted the ambassador's effective role since 2021 in advancing Egyptian-British relations and enhancing partnerships between the two countries' public and private sectors.

Regarding the remarkable boom in Egyptian-British development cooperation, Mashat said the UK has backed the launch of the Nexus of Water, Food and Energy (NWFE) Program and the launch of the Hub for Advisory, Finance and Investment for Enterprises (Hafiz) platform, which serves as a new financial and technical support platform for the private sector.

The minister added that the UK contributed to diversifying innovative funding sources for the public and private sectors in Egypt, strengthening financing mechanisms for small and medium-sized enterprises, in addition to supporting startups in climate action.

On his part, the British diplomat commended the strong and historical ties between Egypt and the UK, both at the governmental level and within the private sectors of both nations.

He shed light on the projects supported by the UK in Egypt, including the "NWFE" program, which acts as a tool for mobilizing climate investment and advancing the country's green transition efforts. (MENA)

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