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Speaking remarks by Consular Diego Escalona -Paturel, Head of Cooperation - European Union Delegation to Egypt during the filed visit of the EU-funded Emergency Employment Investment Project (EEIP)

28.09.2016
Teaser

The implementation of EEIP has been progressing very well. This is particularly true for the community services component for which the end of project targets is almost achieved. Under this component more than 39,000 unemployed, unskilled or semi-skilled beneficiaries have been temporarily employed. 90% of these direct beneficiaries are young people and more than half (about 65%) are women. In total more than 11, 5 million days of employment have been generated.

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Speaking remarks by Consular Diego Escalona -Paturel, Head of Cooperation - European Union Delegation to Egypt during the filed visit of the EU-funded Emergency Employment Investment Project (EEIP)September 2016I would like to thank the Social Fund for Development (SFD) for organizing this visit of the EU-funded Emergency Employment Investment Project (EEIP) for the media. The European Union gives a high importance to sharing with the media the achievement of its cooperation with Egypt. EEIP, for which the EU is contributing EUR 70 million as a grant, is a good example of the successful partnership between the EU and Egypt.Considering the overall situation in the country over the past few years, reducing social inequalities and promoting inclusive growth are among the main priorities of the Government, and the EU stands shoulder to shoulder with Egypt to foster stability. The creation of employment, in particular for young people, is and will continue to be a fundamental priority.To achieve sustained job creation and poverty reduction growth is necessary, and indeed indispensable. But growth in itself is not sufficient.

Growth delivers poverty reduction more effectively when it is targeted at employment-intensive sectors and occurs in geographical areas where most of the poor live and earn their income.Through the Emergency Employment Investment Programme, the EU, working together with the World Bank and the Social Fund for Development, has been promoting public works and labour intensive community services as effective and well-targeted temporary social safety nets in the poorest 51 districts of the country.Although the project will notably end mid-2018, a lot has already been achieved and I would like to thank our partners, the Social Fund for Development, the World Bank and all the implementing NGOs for the results delivers so far.The implementation of EEIP has been progressing very well. This is particularly true for the community services component for which the end of project targets is almost achieved. Under this component more than 39,000 unemployed, unskilled or semi-skilled beneficiaries have been temporarily employed. 90% of these direct beneficiaries are young people and more than half (about 65%) are women. In total more than 11, 5 million days of employment have been generated.The indirect impact is also considerable. For example the young people and women employed in the community services component have provided maternal and child care support to more than 882,000 families. They have also conducted literacy classes benefiting more than 100,000 persons.Another very positive result of the project is that 82% of the community services sub-projects total budget is used to pay wages to the final beneficiaries. This means that a very large part of the EU financial support goes directly to the target beneficiaries.The programme is not only providing short-term employment opportunities. It also has an innovative component to improve youth employability. 28 NGOs have been contracted (for a total amount of EUR 5.6 million) to provide job counselling, job placement, business planning and various form of training to facilitate access of youth to long-term employment. By end of March 2016, 1,300 youth had already been reported to have found a job. 

It is the worth noting that in the framework of this project around 500 NGO's will have been mobilized to implement the activities, showing the strength of Egyptian Civil Society and the will of the EU to involve NGOS and in particular grassroots organisations in our cooperation with Egypt.

The EU has made a clear and unequivocal commitment to continue its assistance in the socio-economic field. The EEIP represents a good example of an intervention focusing on improving the living conditions of the poorest people. It is part of our shared aim to foster sustainable human development in the Country. The field visit that we have conducted will help us continue our efforts to provide work to the Egyptian people and boost the hopes of youth!

 

 

Consular Diego Escalona -Paturel, Head of Cooperation - European Union Delegation to Egypt in a meeting with journalists in Fayoum

Consular Diego Escalona -Paturel, Head of Cooperation - European Union Delegation to Egypt in an interview with Al Shorouk newspaper

Consular Diego Escalona -Paturel, Head of Cooperation - European Union Delegation to Egypt

Consular Diego Escalona -Paturel, Head of Cooperation - European Union Delegation to Egypt in an interview with the Daily News Egyptnewspaper

Category
Local Statements
Location

Fayoum

Editorial sections
Egypt