Egypt, Japan Deepen Collaboration Ahead of GEM Opening
In preparation for the highly anticipated official opening of the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM), Egypt's Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, Sherif Fathy, met with Mr. Ebisawa Yu, Head of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Office in Egypt, to explore future partnership opportunities.
The high-level meeting, held at the museum's premises, focused on strengthening scientific and cultural collaboration, knowledge transfer, and capacity building across heritage preservation and museology.
Also in attendance were Dr. Ahmed Ghoneim, CEO of the Grand Egyptian Museum Authority, Mohamed Fahmy, Assistant Minister for Economic Affairs, senior officials from JICA and Japanese museums, and representatives from McKinsey Japan.
The discussion centered on positioning the Grand Egyptian Museum not only as the world's largest museum dedicated to ancient Egyptian artefacts but also as a premier regional and international hub for Egyptology research, museum studies, and academic exchange.
The meeting emphasized the implementation of a newly signed cooperation agreement between GEM and JICA, aiming to modernize heritage management using cutting-edge technologies and Japanese expertise.
The agreement outlines a series of initiatives including advanced training programs for GEM staff and postgraduate students enrolled in heritage conservation programs at the Egypt-Japan University of Science and Technology. These academic tracks have been developed jointly by Egyptian and Japanese experts to elevate the museum's educational and scientific outreach.
Further, the meeting explored strategies to support GEM's service management through technical assistance, ensuring a world-class visitor experience while equipping staff with administrative and operational training for future collaboration with service operators. The museum's strategic research vision also seeks to establish GEM as the leading international research center for Egyptology and heritage restoration training.
This initiative reflects the broader framework of robust Egyptian-Japanese cooperation in tourism and antiquities.
The partnership has already produced several joint archaeological projects and memoranda of understanding. Additionally, Egypt's presence at Japan's annual 'Tourism Expo Japan' and the ongoing 'Ramses and the Gold of the Pharaohs' exhibition in Tokyo underscore a growing cultural footprint that bridges both nations.
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He added that the government remains committed to reducing external debt-servicing obligations for all budget entities by $1 to $2 billion annually. * A version of this article appears in print in the 24 July, 2025 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
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UN Tourism's January projection of three to five per cent growth in international arrivals for 2025 remains unchanged. * A version of this article appears in print in the 24 July, 2025 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
