Two cooperation agreements were signed by the Participatory Development Programme in Urban Areas (PDP) with the Egyptian Ministry of State for Youth (MoY) and Cairo Governorate in early January 2013.
PDP Programme Coordinator Günther Wehenpohl with Cairo Governor Osama Kamal
The agreement with the MoY which was signed by the Minister of State for Youth Dr. Osama Yassin and PDP Programme Coordinator Dr. Günther Wehenpohl sets the framework for the MoY and the PDP joining efforts to empower young Egyptians between the ages of 18 to 35 and enable them to participate effectively in planning and decision-making processes in their local communities.
To achieve this goal, the Fast Track Measure “Promotion of Youth Participation in Informal Areas in Greater Cairo” which is implemented by the PDP, is establishing youth networks in four informal areas: two in Governorates of Cairo and Giza. These networks will empower young Egyptians to increase their role in their communities and enable them to engage in a constructive dialogue with the local authorities. Through dialogue platforms, the young people will design and plan development initiatives together with the local authorities and various community groups.
“The work of the programme is much needed to support Egypt’s youth in the aftermath of the revolution in playing a greater role in the politics of the country. This is especially important since Egypt is demographically such a young society,” Dr. Yassin said.
On 6 January, the PDP also signed a cooperation agreement with Cairo Governorate in a ceremony at the Governorate building in Abdeen to work together in upgrading two informal areas in Cairo Governorate: Ain Shams and Ezbet El-Nasr. The signing marks the start of a new phase of cooperation between PDP and the Governorate. The Governor Dr. Eng. Osama Kamal emphasised that it comes in the wake of a previous successful cooperation in Manshiet Nasr between 2004 and 2010.