Ashraf AboArafe
Dr. Ashraf Sobhi, Minister of Youth and Sports, witnessed today, Monday, at the headquarters of the Civic Education Center on the island, and in the presence of the Swiss Ambassador to Egypt, Ambassador Yvonne Baumann, the extension of the agreement for the next three years until 2025 regarding the establishment of 8 digital community centers whose purpose is to empower refugees inside Egypt and Egyptian youth, and develop Social and life skills and entrepreneurship through technology, in addition to empowering these youth and training them to benefit from the growing Egyptian digital economy, in cooperation with the Tyrdi Zoom Authority.
The agreement extension ceremony was attended on the Egyptian side by: Major General Ismail El-Far, Head of the Youth Sector at the Ministry of Youth and Sports, who signed the agreement on the part of the Ministry of Sports, and Ms. Manal Gamal, Head of the Central Administration for Youth Empowerment, and from the Swiss side and the Terde Zoom Authority: Dr. Valerie Lichti, Head of the Cooperation Office International Cooperation Agency at the Embassy of Switzerland in Egypt, Pakinam Khairaldin – Program Officer at the International Cooperation Office at the Embassy of Switzerland in Egypt, and from the Terre des Zoomes Authority Egypt, Lor Bodin (representative of the Terre des Zoomes Authority), who represented the authority in signing the agreement, and Ms. Sarah Ghanem, Director of the Migration Program at the Terre Dieu zoom.
At the beginning of his speech, the Minister of Youth and Sports welcomed the Swiss ambassador and her presence to extend the agreement, stressing that the agreement that was extended today for the next three years comes in light of what the political leadership attaches and based on the directives of His Excellency President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi regarding the file of building in people and investing in youth. And raising the institutional efficiency in all state agencies, as well as strengthening ways of cooperation between all development partners in all fields.
Sobhi added that the Ministry is pleased to put all its capabilities to serve the youth and expatriates who are on Egyptian soil, their second country, and qualify them technologically while providing them with decent job opportunities, referring to the role played by the Ministry of Youth and Sports in developing the skills of youth in various governorates and preparing them for the labor market to be able to keep pace with development. This is what we were keen to implement through a partnership contract with Terre des Zoom. The Minister of Sports demanded the need to increase cooperation between the ministry and the authority, especially in empowering women and preparing them for the labor market through youth centers during the next stage.
While the Swiss Ambassador to Egypt, Yvonne Baumann, thanked the Minister of Youth and Sports for her presence and the opportunity to cooperate in order to rehabilitate young people, adding that Switzerland believes, as does the Egyptian state, in empowering young people by developing their skills, providing career guidance and counseling, and facilitating their access to the labor market, this partnership It has become even more important in light of the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Sudan, as Switzerland is committed to supporting Egypt’s role in providing services and ensuring the livelihoods of refugees and migrants.
The Ambassador said: “She takes this opportunity to commend the Egyptian government for its great and continuous efforts to absorb the large communities of immigrants and refugees who came to the country, before the war in Sudan, and since its outbreak.
Mrs. Lorboden, representative of the Terre des Zoome Authority, said: “The framework of fruitful cooperation between the Terre de Zoome Authority and the Ministry of Youth and Sports, which is being extended today, is a cooperation that builds a new generation of young people who are able to keep pace with modern technology, a generation capable of coming up with creative ideas for a better future.” Mrs. Bodine also confirmed that Terre des Zoom believes in the importance of technology and digital impact, as the youth empowerment program at the authority aims to provide young people with digital and leadership skills to enhance their ability to find suitable job opportunities in the labor market.
It is noteworthy that the agreement was implemented in its first year, and young people were trained in 8 youth centers after they were equipped with the latest equipment and an internet connection was provided to train young people in the following centers: “Civil Education Center Tenth of Ramadan – Ain Shams Youth Center – Helmeyet El Zaytoun Youth Center – Center Sixth District Youth – October Youth Forum – Youth Development Center in Sheikh Zayed – New Maadi Youth Center – Olympic Center for Training National Teams.
