The Korea International Cooperation Agency pursues sustainable socio-economic development and the eradication of poverty in developing countries; and contribution to global issues related to international development cooperation to harmonize development efforts with those of the international community.
KOICA has been expanding its cooperation with and resources for Egypt as the Korean government’s priority partner country and exploring opportunities to support its pivotal role in the region. Further, it has been supporting the Digital Egypt Initiative through its support for the digital transformation of government services and digital skills and jobs.
KOICA accomplished 15 infrastructure and technical assistance projects, supporting vocational technical training for young people, government services enhancement, waste management, and promoting gender equality. More than 1,850 government officials have participated in capacity-building training in Korea, including a Master’s degree program. 320 volunteers were dispatched to Egypt to government/public entities such as universities, youth centers, technical schools, and UN partners in education, ICT, and technical training. Around $74 million had been disbursed up until 2021 to support social and economic development in Egypt.
Further, the agency’s supporting role drives the Ministry of Higher Education’s reform efforts to advance technological education at the university level in Egypt by supporting the establishment of the Beni Sweif Technological University, the leading technological university in Egypt.
KOICA also supported the establishment of the Faculty of ICT and Mechanical Engineering in 2019. The agency also showed a robust focus on university-industrial cooperation, KOICA’s assistance with a budget of $8 million has included support for the Faculty of Automobile Engineering and the establishment of the Faculty of Railway Engineering, one of the most needed areas for advanced technological education currently in Egypt.
As part of its efforts for promoting gender equality and social integration in Egypt, KOICA is dynamically cooperating with multilateral partners in implementation. Through joint efforts with Egypt’s National Council for Women, it has exerted efforts to eliminate gender-based violence and to economically empower women. It has been collaborating with UN partners such as the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) and UN Women in hospital response units, universities, and company board rooms in various governorates. Awareness-raising among community members and the private sector and the capacity-building of girls and women as agents of change are key elements that make progress possible.
The Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) was founded as a government agency by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on April 1, 1991. KOICA has played a critical role in Korea’s ODA for developing countries by implementing the government’s grant aid and technical cooperation programs.
