Egypt and Italy mark 50 years of science partnership, discuss future cooperation
The event, organised by the Italian Embassy in Cairo and Egypt's Science, Technology and Innovation Funding Authority (STDF), reviewed the achievements of the long-standing cooperation agreement and outlined future plans.
In a statement from the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Minister Ayman Ashour said the cooperation between Egypt and Italy was a distinguished model of an effective bilateral partnership. He said it reflected Egypt's commitment to international cooperation and innovation to support its sustainable development plans and 'Egypt Vision 2030.'
The event opened with remarks from Giuseppe Papalia, head of Economic, Scientific and Cultural Affairs for Italy in Egypt, and Walaa Sheta, the CEO of the STDF.
Sheta said the Egyptian-Italian executive programme had been one of the most successful models of bilateral cooperation, supporting joint research projects in strategic areas such as renewable energy, water management, smart cities, and cultural heritage protection. He added that the STDF would continue to support this cooperation to include more priority specialisations.
The workshop included video messages from international figures including Nasser Kamel, Secretary-General of the Union for the Mediterranean, and Angelo Riccaboni, chairman of the PRIMA Foundation.
A session on the STDF's strategic pillars outlined the main areas of cooperation with Italy within the 2024–2026 executive programme.
Egyptian researchers presented the results and applications of ongoing joint research projects in the fields of water management, agriculture, food technology, materials science and engineering, renewable and sustainable energy, and modern technologies applied to cultural and natural heritage.
A second session focused on opportunities for cooperation in international education, technology transfer, and the integration of scientific research with industry. Participants included Italian universities such as Trieste, Marche Polytechnic, Pegaso, and Calabria, alongside industrial firms including Leonardo Space, Eni, and El-Sewedy University of Technology.
The workshop concluded with a panel discussion on the future of cooperation in light of the bilateral agreement, Italy's 'Mattei Plan,' and the research policies of the European Union.
The event also featured an exhibition titled 'Heritage and New Technologies,' which highlighted the role of archaeological missions in supporting Egyptian-Italian scientific cooperation.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Al-Ahram Weekly
18 minutes ago
- Al-Ahram Weekly
European trade ministers meet to forge strategy after Trump's surprise 30% tariffs - Economy
European trade ministers are meeting in Brussels on Monday, following U.S. President Donald Trump's surprise announcement of 30% tariffs on the European Union. The EU is America's biggest business partner and the world's largest trading bloc. The U.S. decision will have repercussions for governments, companies and consumers on both sides of the Atlantic. 'We shouldn't impose countermeasures at this stage, but we should prepare to be ready to use all the tools in the toolbox,' said Denmark's foreign minister, Lars Løkke Rasmussen, told reporters ahead of the meeting. 'So we want a deal, but there's an old saying: 'If you want peace, you have to prepare for war.'' The tariffs, also imposed on Mexico, are set to start on Aug. 1 and could make everything from French cheese and Italian leather goods to German electronics and Spanish pharmaceuticals more expensive in the U.S., and destabilize economies from Portugal to Norway. Meanwhile, Brussels decided to suspend retaliatory tariffs on U.S. goods scheduled to take effect Monday in hopes of reaching a trade deal with the Trump administration by the end of the month. The 'countermeasures' by the EU, which negotiates trade deals on behalf of its 27 member countries, will be delayed until Aug. 1. Trump's letter shows 'that we have until the first of August' to negotiate, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told reporters in Brussels on Sunday. Maroš Šefčovič, the EU's trade representative in its talks with the U.S., said negotiations would continue 'I'm absolutely 100% sure that a negotiated solution is much better than the tension which we might have after the 1st of August," he told reporters in Brussels on Monday. 'I cannot imagine walking away without genuine effort. Having said that, the current uncertainty caused by unjustified tariffs cannot persist indefinitely and therefore we must prepare for all outcomes, including, if necessary, well-considered proportionate countermeasures to restore the balance in our transit static relationship.' The letters to the EU and Mexico come in the midst of an on-and-off Trump threat to impose tariffs on countries and right an imbalance in trade. Trump imposed tariffs in April on dozens of countries, before pausing them for 90 days to negotiate individual deals. As the three-month grace period ended this week, he began sending tariff letters to leaders, but again has pushed back the implementation day for what he says will be just a few more weeks. If he moves forward with the tariffs, it could have ramifications for nearly every aspect of the global economy. In the wake of the new tariffs, European leaders largely closed ranks, calling for unity but also a steady hand to not provoke further acrimony. Just last week, Europe was cautiously optimistic. Officials told reporters on Friday they weren't expecting a letter like the one sent Saturday and that a trade deal was to be inked in 'the coming days." For months, the EU has broadcast that it has strong retaliatory measures ready if talks fail. Reeling from successive rebukes from Washington, Šefčovič said Monday the EU is 'doubling down on efforts to open new markets' and pointed to a new economic agreement with Indonesia as one. The EU top brass will visit Beijing fora summit later this month while courting other Pacific nations like South Korea, Japan, Vietnam, Singapore, the Philippines, and Indonesia, whose prime minister visited Brussels over the weekend to sign a new economic partnership with the EU. It also has mega-deals in the works with Mexico and a trading bloc of South American nations known as Mercosur. While meeting with Indonesia's president on Sunday, Von der Leyen said that 'when economic uncertainty meets geopolitical volatility, partners like us must come closer together.' Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
Egypt Independent
2 hours ago
- Egypt Independent
Egyptian FM sends message to Ethiopia regarding Nile waters
Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty stressed that water security is a vital existential issue for Egypt, emphasizing that there will be no compromise on this matter, RT reported on Sunday. He assured that this issue is receiving great attention from the political leadership and Egyptian state institution, with full coordination in place. A supreme committee for Nile water, headed by the Egyptian Prime Minister, is responsible for managing this critical issue, Abdelatty noted, adding that the case is not the monopoly of any particular institution, but instead falls under the overall responsibility of all state agencies. Efforts are being made to convey to the world at large Ethiopia's unacceptable lack of respect towards international law, he emphasized. He stressed that Egypt has exhausted all negotiation efforts after more than 11 years to no avail, and that Cairo 'reserves the right to defend its water interests in the event of any harm.' This issue has been raised at all meetings as Egypt's primary concern, he said, and African leaders are becoming more aware of Egypt's water concerns. Water security is one of the most vital issues for Egypt, as its economy and population depend primarily on the Nile River, which provides approximately 97 percent of the country's water resources. The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), which Addis Ababa began building in 2011, is a focal point of water tensions in the region. The filling and operation of the dam without a binding agreement raises Egypt's concerns about a shortage of its water share, estimated at approximately 55.5 billion cubic meters annually under historic agreements. For more than a decade, tripartite negotiations have been held between Egypt, Sudan, and Ethiopia to reach an agreement on the management of the dam. However, these talks have faced Ethiopia's intransigence, according to official Egyptian statements. Addis Ababa refuses to sign a binding agreement that guarantees water shares for downstream countries. Egypt is adopting an active diplomatic approach to internationalize the issue, raising it in international forums, such as the African Union and the UN Security Council, to highlight the dam's risks to its water security.
Egypt Independent
2 hours ago
- Egypt Independent
Egyptians abroad require more than just mere remittances: Official
The Coordinator of the Specialized Council for Economic Development affiliated with the Egyptian Presidency, Hussein Eissa, said that Egyptians abroad are always concerned about their homeland, and their interest in it goes beyond mere remittances despite the importance of them. Expatriates are always eager to buy apartments or villas in Egypt, he noted, and as they enjoy clean and well-maintained restaurants, cafes or gardens they have a vested interest towards any developments in the national infrastructure. Eissa continued that in addition to meeting their desires, all that must be done is encourage them to invest further. Certain economic entities must approach them directly, he added, offering them forms of participation in new or existing companies alongside explaining to them opportunities to diversify their investment portfolios to capitalize on the current investment momentum and simultaneously enhance their contribution to the country's development. The new tax reforms could encourage Egyptians abroad to invest more, especially as they see the appreciation for local investors, he said. Eissa explained that Finance Minister Ahmed Kouchouk told him that a second, third, and fourth package of tax reforms would be forthcoming, and that the goal was for financiers to be partners, not enemies. He added that the Finance Minister also emphasized that he was not concerned with the outcome, as these would come later after building up trust and proper partnerships. Kouchouk revealed that the package of facilities was not a top-down idea, Eissa said, adding that the minister would eventually leave his post, but the employees would remain. Therefore, he personally sought to convince them and gain their support for the new approach. Eissa said that tax evasion is primarily due to bureaucratic complications. He estimates that these complications are responsible for 70 percent of Egypt's tax problem and the weak revenue as a percentage of GDP. He also notes that the other 30 percent is due to deviant or improper behavior, taking into account that the more bureaucratic complications there are, the worse human behavior is, and vice versa. Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
