Egypt and Canada have signed three grant agreements worth about 552 million Egyptian pounds (US$18 million) to support women’s empowerment, food security and refugees, Egypt’s planning ministry said on Wednesday.
The agreements were signed by Egypt’s Planning, Economic Development and International Cooperation Minister Rania al-Mashat and Canada’s ambassador to Cairo, Ulric Shannon.
Al-Mashat said Canada’s current development cooperation portfolio in Egypt stood at about 40 million Canadian dollars before the new agreements, covering areas including economic development, health, education and climate-smart agriculture.
Under the new funding, the first project “Comprehensive Support for Refugee Women and Girls in Egypt” will focus on social inclusion and protection for vulnerable female refugees. It will be implemented by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in Greater Cairo, Alexandria, Damietta and Aswan.
The second initiative, “Food for the Future”, aims to improve nutrition and healthcare outcomes for mothers and girls. The programme will be implemented by UNICEF in partnership with Egypt’s health ministry across several governorates, including Assiut, Qena, Sohag, Sharkia, Gharbia, Beheira, Cairo and Giza.
The third project, “Empowering Women and Adolescent Girls in Upper Egypt (Masarat)”, targets gender equality and access to reproductive health services. It will be carried out by Egypt’s health ministry and the National Council for Women in Assiut and Minya.
Al-Mashat said the projects span Upper Egypt, the Nile Delta and major urban centres, supporting Egypt’s broader sustainable development goals.
Canada and Egypt maintain long-standing diplomatic and development ties that span trade, education, security cooperation and humanitarian support, alongside periodic tensions over human rights and regional politics.
Canada has been a development partner in Egypt for decades, focusing on inclusive economic growth, women’s empowerment, health, education and food security. Much of this cooperation is channelled through multilateral agencies such as the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and UNICEF, reflecting Ottawa’s emphasis on humanitarian assistance and gender-focused programming.
Trade relations are modest but growing. Egypt exports agricultural products, fertilizers and manufactured goods to Canada, while Canadian exports to Egypt include wheat, pulses, machinery and services. Canadian wheat is a strategic import for Egypt, one of the world’s largest grain buyers, particularly during periods of global supply disruption.
Canadian companies are active in Egypt’s mining, energy, education and infrastructure sectors, while people-to-people links are reinforced by a sizeable Egyptian diaspora in Canada and academic partnerships between universities in both countries.
Politically, Ottawa and Cairo engage through bilateral dialogue and multilateral forums, including the United Nations and Francophonie institutions. Canada has at times publicly raised concerns about governance and human rights in Egypt, while continuing cooperation on regional stability, migration and refugee support.
In recent years, cooperation has increasingly focused on climate resilience, food systems and support for vulnerable communities, aligning with Egypt’s national development priorities and Canada’s feminist international assistance policy.
