Cairo– In the framework of IOM’s Initiatives for Local Development of Egypt through the Support of Egyptians Abroad (ILDEA) project, the Egyptian Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise Development Agency (MSMEDA) signed contracts on 14 May 2018 with five non-governmental organizations (NGO) that were selected to implement small-scale, local community development projects in the Assiut Governorate. These initiatives are foreseen to contribute to the overarching aim of curbing irregular migration and supporting the achievement of Egypt’s Sustainable Development Strategy: Egypt Vision 2030.  

The projects, funded by the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation, will benefit around eighteen thousand households in Abnoub district, through interventions that promote youth and women empowerment, employment, health awareness, and environmental sustainability. The implementation of all such interventions will start upon contract signature and last for a period of six months.

Ms. Nevein Gamea, MSMEDA Executive Director, highlighted the importance of this model and the partnership established with IOM and the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation. She indicated that the model should be extended with the strategic goal of curbing irregular migration through building the awareness of youth and increasing their employability and access to employment.

Dr. Felice Longobardi, Head of the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation, stated that the Agency continues to closely follow the implementation of the project, indicating that the launch of the community development projects marked an important milestone in the collaboration between MSMEDA, IOM and IADC. He added that the local knowledge of the NGOs and their strong outreach to local communities, in addition to the importance of coordinating efforts through partnership with MSMEDA, was key to responding to community needs on the ground.

Ms. Tanja Pacifico, IOM Egypt’s Head of Coordination Unit, indicated that IOM’s intervention would serve as a pilot in linking Egyptians expatriates with local community development projects. She further stressed the importance of IOM’s partnership with Ministry of State for Emigration and Egyptian Expatriate Affairs (MoSEEA), MSMEDA and the IADC on expatriate engagement, and congratulated the NGOs selected to implement such interventions.

The community development projects are an integral part of the ILDEA project, funded by the IADC and implemented by the IOM Country Office in Egypt in partnership with the MoSEEA and MSMEDA. Its objective is to develop and promote institutional mechanisms for engaging Egyptian expatriates in local and national economic development.  

The launch of the community development projects represents a key project milestone that will link qualified Egyptian abroad with local development interventions which require specific expertise not readily available locally. MoSEEA will facilitate the engagement of Egyptian expatriates to contribute the necessary knowledge and expertise towards ensuring the successful implementation of the community development projects. 

For more information, please contact Monica Ibrahim at IOM Egypt, Tel: +2 02 2736 5140/1, Email: mgibrahim@iom.int