Sweden

Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA) is the government agency dealing with Swedish bilateral international development co-operation and the major part of the co-operation with Central and Eastern Europe. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs channels approximately one-third of Swedish development co-operation through various multilateral organisations, mainly UN agencies as well as the World Bank group and the regional development banks.

The technical assistance Programme started in 1977. The co-operation is not restricted to certain sectors, however, the energy sector has been dominating, with about 60% of total disbursement. Other sectors have included infrastructure, telecommunication, administration, environment, physical planning and the social sector including gender issues. The focus for the coming years will be on developing the co-operation within the social sector.

Three concessionary credits have been allocated to the areas of telecommunication and schoolbooks printing during the last 10 years. No new credits have been issued during the latest five years period. Each year, SIDA finances around 80 international training Programmes in Sweden, with a duration of 4-8 weeks. Egypt sends participants to several of these (around 40 participants yearly). A few Swedish NGOs provide assistance to Egypt on their own initiatives but with funding from SIDA.

General Forms of Co-operation: Technical assistance, Concessionary credits, Participation in international training Programmes in Sweden and Support through Swedish NGOs.

Egypt is not a priority country for the Swedish development co-operation, since it belongs to the range of middle income countries.

Status of Ongoing Projects

Development of Regional Planning, Phase II
Commitment: €442,923
Beneficiary: General Office of Physical Planning 
Objectives: Introduce Geographical Information Systems as a tool for regional planning activities.

Study and Action Plan for Groundwater related Problems at the Karnak and Luxor Temple - Phase I
Commitment: €231,528 
Beneficiary: State Council for Antiquities
Objectives: To provide a solution for groundwater related problems at the temples.

De-dusting Gases at Metal Melting Furnaces
Commitment: €201,328
Beneficiary: Central Metallurgical Research and Development Institute
Objectives: To provide a solution to the problems of dust and other emissions from the foundry industry.