United Kingdom

The Department for International Development (DFID) is the UK government’s department responsible for the promotion of development and the reduction of poverty.

The policy of the UK Government was set out in DFID’s White Paper on international development, published in November 1997. The central focus of the policy is a commitment to the internationally agreed target to half the proportion of people living in extreme poverty by 2015. In addition, the implementation of national strategies for sustainable development is to occur in all countries by 2005, so as to ensure the current trends in the loss of environmental resources are effectively reversed at both global and national levels by 2015.

In 2002 the allocation for UK bilateral assistance to Egypt was €6.254 million. The main elements of the Programme involved support in the areas of environment, wastewater, education and economic reform.

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office administered several centrally held funds, which are targeted at specific issues such as good governance, human rights, the environment and information technology.

The British Embassy in Cairo has a small grants scheme of €75,059 to fund small-scale development projects in partnership with local NGOs. The Embassy also administers funds raised locally from the expatriate community or from the UK for disbursement to charities throughout Egypt. These funds, the Ambassador’s Christmas Carol Concert, the British Embassy Fete, and the Port Said Fund disbursed €98,514 in 2002.

The British Council through their offices in Agouza and Alexandria administer a number of projects in cultural, educational, and human rights spheres. In 2002, the funds expended on these projects totalled 102,298.

Our priorities over the next few years will be to build on our existing activities and experience in Egypt, particularly in the education and environment sectors, to identify areas where UK’s input could improve EC, and other, Programmes.

Status of Ongoing Projects

Support to Environmental Assessment and Management (SEAM) Phase II
Commitment: €9.876 million 
Total Disbursement: €4.238 million
Beneficiary: Egyptian Environment Affairs Agency (EEAA)
Objectives: The project has provided a mechanism for local communities to work with governorates and to seek help and resources in addressing community needs. Cleaner production demonstration projects in local industries have improved working conditions, increased production, and effectiveness. It has brought benefits for surrounding communities through reduced levels of pollution.

Cairo Wastewater-Operation and Maintenance Support to GOSD
Commitment: €2.814 million
Total Disbursement: €3.026 million
Beneficiary: General Organisation for Sanitary Drainage (GOSD)
Objectives: The final phase of the Cairo Waste water project-operations and maintenance, support to GOSD started in April 1999 and was completed in July 2002. The components of the project were: the development of a Cairo-wide drainage area planning capability, building on a pilot conveyance management system funded by USAID; specialist support in developing operation and maintenance capabilities in relation to new plant and equipment in the East Bank system; and the development of a strategy for central workshop facilities on the East Bank.

Capital Markets
Commitment: €781,860
Total Disbursement: €935,105
Beneficiary: Capital Markets Authority
Objectives: To provide know-how support for economic reform to the Capital Markets Authority and Ministry of Economy and Trade. The main inputs were a long-term adviser to the Capital Markets Authority overseeing other, short-term, inputs in the areas of private and state pensions, mutual fund regulation, disclosure, surveillance, and financial journalism training; and the creation of a macro-econometric model for the Ministry to enable them to produce forecasts for the short- and medium-term outlook for the Egyptian economy.

Capacity Enhancement for Lifelong Learning (CELL)
Commitment: €3.503 million
Total Disbursement: €1.604 million
Beneficiary: General Authority for Literacy and Adult Education (GALAE)
Objectives: The CELL project is focused on developing GALAE’s capacity to mainstream the techniques piloted in the first phase of the project.
As well as strengthening GALAE’s capacity at their headquarters, the project will also extend its field level work to 5 new governorates.

Siwa Womens’ Initiative
Commitment: €62,548
Total Disbursement: €62,548
Beneficiary: women of Siwa.
Objectives: To bring about the economic empowerment of women in Siwa engaged in small-scale craft production through help in upgrading of their technical skills, marketing their products, and negotiation with buyers and suppliers.

Legal Services for Women’s Hotline/Empowerment of Women
Commitment: €112,587
Total Disbursement: €112,587
Beneficiary: women in Aswan Governorate.
Objectives: To provide legal services to women in rural areas around Aswan who would not normally have access to them, either through a telephone hotline or at weekly meetings; provide specific legal services to women, and to raise awareness of legal rights.

Chevening Scholarships
Commitment: €1.001 million
Total Disbursement: €1.007 million
Beneficiary: Egyptian scholars.
Objectives: To send young public officials and those working in the NGO sector to the UK on short training courses or to study for post-graduate qualifications. Project administered by the British Council.

Higher Education Links
Commitment: €172,009
Total Disbursement: €172,009
Beneficiary: Higher education institutions in Egypt.
Objectives: To promote research projects with a development orientation between universities in the UK and Egypt. Project administered by the British
Council.

Connecting Futures (Journalists/Scientists/Sports Leaders)
Commitment: €86,005
Total Disbursement: €23,456
Beneficiary: Young journalists, scientists, and sports leaders.
Objectives: To build deeper mutual understanding, learning, and respect between young people from different cultural backgrounds.

Project funded and administered by the British Council: Curriculum Development.
Commitment: €18,765
Total Disbursement: €18,764
Beneficiary: Ministry of Education.
Objectives: To help build citizenship development into school curricula.