Vice-President Mukeshimana Makes First Official Visit to Egypt to Promote Action on the Water-Food-Energy Nexus

Cairo, 18 November 2023 – Gérardine Mukeshimana, the recently appointed Vice-President of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), will make her first official visit to Egypt during which she will discuss with Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly the need for concerted action to advance sustainable rural development through Egypt's Nexus for Water, Food, and Energy (NWFE) Programme. IFAD has been selected as the lead agency for the food pillar of this US$14.7 billion initiative, which aims to propel Egypt's National Climate Change Strategy 2050 from pledges to tangible outcomes.

Vice-President Mukeshimana will also meet with Minister of International Cooperation Rania Al Mashat, other high-ranking government officials and development partners to assess progress and foster collaboration on the NWFE project. Launched by the Egyptian government during COP27, NWFE encompasses nine projects strategically aligned with a transformational strategy that links the various sectors. Besides IFAD, the African Development Bank (AfDB) and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) were chosen to lead NWFE pillars (water and energy, respectively).

Confirming IFAD’s dedication to the successful implementation of the food pillar, Vice-President Mukeshimana remarked, "Greater investment in rural communities facing the forefront of climate change is urgent. We anticipate tangible impacts from our collective efforts to enhance the resilience, livelihoods, and food security of vulnerable rural populations. Together, we strive to construct a future characterized by resilient food systems, sustainable energy sources, and thriving rural communities."

During her visit, Vice-President Mukeshimana will also follow up on the design process of the Climate-Resilient On-Farm Water Management in the Nile Valley (CROWN) project, the first of five projects under the food pillar with a combined total value of US$3.35 billion for phase 1 (2023-2030).

“CROWN aims to empower smallholder farmers and build their resilience in the face of climate change by enhancing water management, leading to higher farm productivity and profitability,” Vice-President Mukeshimana said.

With IFAD’s contribution of US$120 million, combined with resources from the Government of Egypt, private sector and international financial institutions, CROWN’s total funding exceeds US$2 billion. CROWN will reach 6 million rural people in Upper and Middle Egypt to improve their productivity, livelihoods and resilience in the face of climate change.

IFAD’s partnership with Egypt spans more than 40 years. It has supported the implementation of 14 projects totalling US$1.1 billion, approximately half of which are IFAD resources.  According to reports of the Ministry of International Cooperation, IFAD is the primary multilateral investor in the agriculture sector in Egypt.

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Press release No.: IFAD//2023

IFAD is an international financial institution and a United Nations specialized agency. Based in Rome – the United Nations food and agriculture hub – IFAD invests in rural people, empowering them to reduce poverty, increase food security, improve nutrition and strengthen resilience. Since 1978, we have provided more than US$24 billion in grants and low-interest loans to fund projects in developing countries.

A wide range of photographs and broadcast-quality video content of IFAD’s work in rural communities are available for download from our Image Bank.