International Cooperation
Donors Financing View Presentation
1
|
2
|
3
|
4
|
5
|
6
|
7
|
8
AmCham’s International Cooperation Committee held a one-day seminar on July 8 to address “The Role of Partners in Development in Financing the Government and Private Sector.” Guest speakers from USAID, German Development Bank (KfW), the European Union (EU), the World Bank (WB), African Development Bank (ADB), the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), International Finance Corporation (IFC), and the Social Fund for Development (SFD) shared perspectives on issues pertaining to donor financing. The day was divided into four sessions.
In the opening speech, Marwan Badr, advisor to the minister of international cooperation, highlighted the critical role of the private sector as a key partner in alleviating poverty, especially with rising food and oil prices. He noted that international assistance is needed to provide financial and technical assistance to improve the business environment, support the poor, and create jobs.
The first session, “USAID Activities in Egypt”, highlighted USAID’s current program in the country. Hilda Arellano, Egypt mission director, started her highlighting the support the business community receives through the program. On the national policy level, USAID worked with local entities to help introduce improvements to customs, tax reforms, as well as the provision of information to investors and traders. USAID cooperated with the Egyptian government to establish the consumer protection agency and to prevent anticompetitive behavior. Moreover, the program is active in the provision of loans and training to small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to increase their productivity and adopt new technologies. Arellano emphasized that USAID also focuses on public private partnership.
The second session focused on “Europeans Partners Roles in Development”, was kicked off by Patrick de Latour, EU program manager, who explored three specific examples of the European Commission’s trade enhancement programs: technical assistance for trade facilitation in the Ministry of Trade and Industry, budgetary support to the Ministry of Finance for the state budget and technical assistance to the Ministry of Finance to support to the customs reform. Under the auspices of the Ministry of International Cooperation, the Institutional Twinning was formed by the European Commission, to contribute to the improvement of the legislative and regulatory framework to develop the private sector.
Amr Abou Elazm and Walid Abdel Rahim, senior program officers at the German Development Bank (KfW), then highlighted the mission’s objective of establishing and expanding private sector structures in developing and transitional countries for sustainable economic growth. KfW customizes market-oriented financial solutions such as long-term loans, mezzanine finance and equity capital guarantees with terms suited to each individual project. It also works with
governments to reduce poverty, secure the peace and make globalization fair. The bank also supports initiatives to expand the social and economic infrastructures, develop efficient financial systems and protect the environment and natural resources. Abou Elazm and Abdel Rahim also highlighted the banks activities in Egypt covering water resources and management, climate and environment, education, as well as micro finance and urban development.
Emmanuel Mbi, World Bank country director kicked off the third session, which addressed “Multilateral Organizations.” He highlighted the fact that “aid is first and foremost about results.” The Egyptian government and private sector drive progress; the World Bank’s role is to support initiatives in areas where it has comparative advantages because of its experience in other countries and its financing instruments. The WB Country Strategy focuses on facilitating private sector development through support to the financial sector, trade, business environment, enhancing the provision of public services, macroeconomic stability, infrastructure services, environment, education, public sector performance and promoting equity. Mbi also highlighted that one of the main constraints identified in the Egypt was access to finance especially for micro business and SME.
African Development Bank (ADB) Principal Expert, Almaz Amine, added that the bank’s primary objective is to promote economic development and social
progress within the countries of the region. ADB’s main goal is promoting sustainable economic growth and to reduce poverty in Africa. She emphasized that the private sector has contributed to local financial markets. The ADB’s Private Sector Strategy focuses on strengthening of local financial systems, building competitive infrastructure, promoting the development of micro-small and medium enterprises and to promote trade.
The third speaker in the session, Ghada Waly, assistant resident representative for the UNDP focused her presentation on three areas where the organization is active. The UNDP promotes SMEs as engines for growth and job creation, pro-poor private sector development, utilizing ICT as a driver for socioeconomic development and increasing government capacity to monitor poverty and development of social policies. She also stated that the UNDP contributed to the creation of Global Compact & Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Center, which is expected to provide training and capacity building in the area of private sector engagement and internal compliance. It also works on improving governance by highlighting the important of offering accountability, elections and civil society representation, promotion of human rights culture, modernizing citizen services and civil service reform, participation for development and decentralization as well as advancement of women and gender equality. Finally, the UNDP is active in the area of the environment including energy efficiency initiatives including low cost technologies for wastewater treatment, solid waste management, water resources development and biomass energy resources.
The fourth and final session highlighted “Technical Assistance” offered by donor agencies. Peter Paproski, counselor and head of the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), started his presentation by explaining CIDA’s focus on basic education and private sector development, particularly for SMEs. Education projects focus on early childhood education, adult literacy, environmental education, and community schools. SME projects include development of support services for entrepreneurs as well as the development of a national strategy on SMEs. CIDA is also active in some environment projects including supporting NGOs working on solid waste management, national water quality and projects supported by Canada Fund for Local Initiatives. Paproski emphasized that there needs to be better organization of SMEs in order for them to have a bigger voice, to work more effectively with government and NGOs.
The second speaker of the session was Nada Shousha, senior country officer for the International Finance Corporation (IFC). She stated that the IFC’s strategic priorities lie in assisting the least developed countries, conflict-affected countries, and areas of middle-income countries where 70 percent of the poor live with emphasis on smaller businesses and agribusiness. They also work on building long-term relationships with local companies, addressing climate change, promoting environmental and social sustainability, helping the private sector strengthen infrastructure, health, and education as well as developing local financial markets.
Shousha highlighted the IFC’s main objective of reducing unemployment in the region. Its approach in Egypt includes supporting the government’s privatization program and sector restructuring, supporting regional expansion and providing technical assistance in various fields. Finally, it provides advisory services for private public partnerships. Finally, she explored the integrated investment and advisory approach, which includes diversity of sectors, advisory services to encourage private investments in infrastructure, and support SME development.
The final speaker of the seminar was Hanaa El Hilaly, general manager of international cooperation & corporate communications for the Social Fund for Development (SFD). She gave a presentation entitled “From Poverty Reduction to Sustainable Development.” SFD targets three social classes: middle income/lower income group, economic active poor and the poor. It also supports SMEs, which generate real job opportunities thus contributing to the national economy and generating sustainable and stable job opportunities. SFD also supports micro credit enterprises that increase income of beneficiaries leading to improving their living conditions. The sources of funds come from the donor community, government and CSR activities by the private sector. The funds are distributed by banks, NGO’s and Post Offices. SFD pumped LE 11.1 billion into various fields and secured 2.4 million jobs.
Top
|
