Mohamed bin Zayed: U.A.E. continues to support Egyptian people under President Khalifa's directives

CAIRO: His Highness General Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of U.A.E. Armed Forces, has re-affirmed that U.A.E., under directives from President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, is continuing to support Egypt in the coming stage during which the country seeks to strengthen the pillars of stability, growth and development in order to face challenges and fulfil the ambitions and aspirations of the Egyptian people. H.H. Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed as speaking as he viewed a presentation on development projects U.A.E. is implementing in Egypt's sectors in order to provide tangible benefits for Egyptian citizens. Egyptian Prime Minister Ibrahim Mehleb was present during the presentation given by the team of the office in charge of coordinating U.A.E.-funded projects in Egypt. H.H. Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed expressed his satisfaction at the progress of the U.A.E.-funded development projects and praised the efforts the U.A.E. team is making in coordination with Egyptians to complete the projects so as to benefit the Egyptian people as soon as possible. H.H. Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed said, "The progress we saw today at the projects being implemented by U.A.E. in Egypt reflect the depth of fraternal and historical relations between our two brotherly countries which have been growing since establishment by the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan. These projects are continuation of his approach and vision for Egypt as well as his appreciation for its people and its important regional role. This progress would not have been possible without the positive atmosphere, the fraternal cooperation which dominates the relations between the two countries as well as the great efforts being made by the officials." Dr. Sultan bin Ahmed Sultan Al Jaber, Minister of State, Khaldoon Khalifa Al Mubarak, Chairman of Abu Dhabi Executive Affairs Authority (EAA), Mohammed bin Nakhira Al Dhaheri, U.A.E. Ambassador to Egypt, and Mohammed Mubarak Al Mazrouie, Undersecretary of the Court of Abu Dhabi Crown Prince, were also present during the presentation on the projects. From the Egyptian side, Minister of Planning and International Cooperation, Ashraf El-Araby and Presidential Advisor Mostafa Hegazy, and other senior officials were present. In the presentation, Minister Al Jaber, who leads the coordination office for U.A.E.-funded projects in Egypt, said Egypt has entered now into a new stage of work and optimism. "We continue to work with the Egyptian officials on a plan to reinvigorate the Egyptian economy and put it on the track of sustainable growth." He thanked U.A.E. leadership, namely His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed and His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed for their support for Egypt which he described as instrumental in making this progress and creating a unique model for development aid. He noted that U.A.E. has endorsed Saudi Arabia's call in May for a donor conference for Egypt. "In light of this, we have the right to have an optimistic outlook." U.A.E.-funded projects in Egypt include the construction of 100 schools (four were already completed in May), by the start of the new academic year in September, and sewage networks in 128 Egyptian villages (11 to be completed this June) with additional villages to be added to the project pending approvals from the Egyptian side in order to complete the whole project by May 2015. The sewage project will benefit more than 1.7 million people and create jobs or 23,000 workers. Other U.A.E.-funded infrastructure projects in Egypt include 4 bridges and 41 railway intersection facilities which will reduce accidents and bolster road safety. In the U.A.E-funded social housing project, which launched in December 2013, work in underway to build 50,000 housing units in 18 Egyptian governorates for more than 250,000 people when completed in November 2014. The project will create 220,000 job opportunities. Work is also underway to install solar panels for 6818 houses, schools, mosques and healthcare centres, to produce more than 64 million Kilowatt-hours of electricity a year saving 19 million cubic metres of diesel and reducing carbon emissions by 53,000 tonnes a year. U.A.E. assistance to Egypt also include a total of 600 buses which will cover 30% of public transport needs in Greater Cairo and create 2400 permanent jobs. Other U.A.E-funded development projects in Egypt include the construction of colleges in some governorates, a library and students' dormitories for Al Azhar University. Also, U.A.E. has bought two buildings, one of them to house an orphanage, for the Coptic Church. Among the U.A.E.-funded strategic projects in Egypt are wheat silos with a storage capacity of 1.5 million tonnes which will be built staring in November, and the building of 78 healthcare centres (the project launched in December 2013) to serve 780,000 patients a year and create 6,000 jobs. An insulin production line in Egypt already opened by U.A.E. in April will fully meet Egypt's market demand for the diabetes medication. In December this year, U.A.E. will complete a vaccine and sera production facility in Egypt to boost the country's self-efficiency, create more jobs and preserve the quality of domestic production. In addition, U.A.E. is working with the Egyptian government on a plan aimed at reducing the country's deficit, attracting foreign investments and creating more jobs for Egyptians. – Emirates News Agency, WAM