• Egypt and Canada signed three projects worth about EGP 552 million ($11.5 million) focused on women’s empowerment and food security.

• UNHCR and UNICEF will implement two projects targeting refugee women, mothers, girls, and children.

• Canada’s development financing portfolio in Egypt already totals about $29 million, excluding the new agreements.

Egypt and Canada signed three projects worth about 552 million Egyptian pounds, or roughly $11.5 million, to promote women’s empowerment and strengthen food security. The Egyptian Ministry of Planning, Economic Development and International Cooperation announced the agreements on Wednesday, December 17, 2025.

The first project aims to provide comprehensive support to refugee women and girls in Egypt. The project seeks to strengthen protection and social inclusion by improving living conditions and facilitating access to services and protection. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) will implement the project, which also promotes gender equality.

The second project, titled “Food for the Future: Empowering Women Through a Holistic Approach to the Nutrition of Mothers and Girls in Egypt,” aims to improve nutrition and healthcare for mothers, girls, and children. The project also supports training programs and will be implemented by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in cooperation with Egypt’s Ministry of Health.

The third project, Masarat, targets women and adolescent girls in Upper Egypt. The project aims to strengthen women’s empowerment while improving access to reproductive health services. The initiative supports the Sustainable Development Goals and complements ongoing programs by focusing on youth and strengthening the capacity of local communities to deliver effective services.

As part of efforts to build a fair society that guarantees equal rights and opportunities for all citizens, the Egyptian government implemented the Women’s Empowerment Strategy 2030. The strategy envisions that by 2030, “the Egyptian woman will become a key actor in sustainable development in a country that guarantees all rights enshrined in the Constitution, ensures full protection, and provides, without discrimination, economic, social, and political opportunities that allow her to develop her capacities.”

In parallel, Egypt’s National Strategic Plan (2023–2028), developed with the World Food Programme (WFP), aims to ensure that vulnerable populations gain improved access to higher-quality food, nutrition, health, and education services by 2028.

Canada’s partnership already finances several development projects in Egypt across multiple sectors. Excluding the newly signed agreements, the total financing portfolio reached about 40 million Canadian dollars, or $29 million.

This article was initially published in French by Lydie Mobio

Adapted in English by Ange Jason Quenum