Cairo: The French Development Agency (AFD) has praised the ongoing development of Egypt’s universal health insurance system, highlighting the country’s consistent advancements in this crucial sector.

According to State Information Service Egypt, Egypt’s universal health insurance reform is advancing steadily, with its implementation now reaching six governorates and benefiting nearly 5 million people, as reported by the agency on Saturday, April 5, 2025. In Ismailia, over 80% of the population is enrolled, resulting in improvements such as enhanced care quality, modernized patient pathways, and strengthened healthcare regulation.

Since 2018, the AFD Group has supported these reforms in collaboration with Egyptian authorities, providing public policy loans worth 210 million pounds, a 2 million pound grant, and technical assistance led by Expertise France valued at 1 million pounds. This support aims to bolster national governance capacities and enhance the efficiency of social protection spending.

The join
t effort seeks to ensure universal, equitable, and high-quality healthcare access for all Egyptians by 2032. AFD’s role includes financing public and NGO sectors, conducting research, providing training on sustainable development, and raising awareness in France, all contributing to a fairer and more resilient world.

AFD is involved in over 2,700 projects across 120 countries, addressing issues like climate change, gender equality, biodiversity, and health. These initiatives align with France’s commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), promoting a World in Common. Through ‘Team France’ and ‘Team Europe’ platforms, AFD collaborates with various partners, including public development banks and civil society organizations.

In 2023, AFD Group invested 11.4 billion pounds in foreign countries and Overseas France, increasing French development assistance to 0.55% of GNP, with a goal of reaching 0.7% by 2025, the agency concluded.