Greece

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is the coordinator and the financing government body for the planning and the allocation of the country’s development assistance Programmes.

As a result of its geographic location, Greece’s own welfare is closely linked to stability and economic prosperity in developing and in transition countries in the Balkans, the Black Sea area and the eastern Mediterranean.

Greece also perceives it has a significant comparative advantage in promoting development in surrounding regions due to shared history and cultural interaction, a high degree of mutual understanding, good political and trade linkages and Greece’s own recent development experience.

General Forms of Co-operation: Assistance through projects and Programmes

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the framework of the first 5-year development assistance Programme (1997-2001) and in 2002 allocated to Egypt the amounts of €498,579 and €95,360 respectively.

Nevertheless, development assistance and humanitarian aid to Egypt has also been given by different institutions and ministries, statistical data of which are not yet available. Egypt is not focused at this moment as a priority country in Greece’s official development aid Programme. Nevertheless small-scale activities have been undertaken especially in the cultural sector.

In the social infrastructure sector, mainly the education (e.g. scholarships/training) Greek aid has also been allocated to Egypt during 2002 but the statistical data are not yet available. In the framework of the 2003-2006 Greek Development Co-operation with the Middle East, Egypt is still not a priority country but one of the target countries together with Jordan, Israel, Lebanon, Syria, Turkey, Gaza Strip and the West Bank for regional co-operation. The Programme for Human Rights and Democratization seeks to promote:
Institution building
Support of civil rights
Combating gender discrimination
Education and vocational training
Poverty reduction
Freedom of speech
Understanding between different cultures and societies
Good governance

The budget of the Programme for the period 2003-2006 amounts to €5 million, of which €2 million will be allocated in 2003.

According to the “Hellenic Aid” (Hellenic Ministry of Foreign Affairs) it is estimated that for the year 2003 the approximate Greek development assistance to Egypt through NGO’s will be €500,000.

Status of Ongoing Projects

Network of local libraries & publishing houses in Egypt
Commitment: €55,760

Hellenic Contribution to the Biliotheca Alexandrina
Commitment: €239,600
Beneficiary: Library of Alexandria

Humanitarian Aid
Commitment: €77,000

Financial Assistance for Projects in Sinai
Commitment: €150,000
Total commitments amount at €525,360.