France agrees on paying $17m in financial aid to Egypt

The French Development Agency (AFD) has agreed to allocate €15 million ($17 million) in aid to Cairo to help fighting COVID-19, Egyptian Minister of International Cooperation Rania Al-Mashat announced.

In a statement, Al-Mashat said the agreement signed between the Egyptian Health Ministry and the French Ambassador to Egypt Stephane Romatet would see the AFD provide funds to allow the North African state to purchase medical equipment and PPE.

The agreement, she added, “is the outcome of a fruitful cooperation with Egypt’s development partners and asserts the close and deep relations between Egypt and France.”

For his part, Romatet said: “The global COVID-19 pandemic affects us all. No country has been spared. To defeat this virus, we must be more united than ever and quick to help our friends and partners.”ADF Country Director Fabio Grazi added: “Today’s signing represents a major step in the path taken by France, via the AFD, to support the Egyptian authorities in their effort to control the COVID-19 crisis and its health, social and economic effects.”

To date, Egypt has recorded 46,289 coronavirus infections including 1,672 deaths, according to Worldometers. Officials however believe the true number of those affected is seven times higher than official figures.

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