Cairo: Egypt has signed financing and grant agreements totaling £131.5 million with the European Union and the French Development Agency (AFD) to advance two large-scale wastewater treatment projects. This investment underscores Egypt’s ongoing collaboration with European partners to enhance essential infrastructure and drive sustainable development.

According to State Information Service Egypt, the funding will support the construction of a new wastewater treatment plant in East Alexandria, as well as the third phase of the Gabal El-Asfar Wastewater Treatment Plant-one of the largest of its kind in the region.

The Gabal El-Asfar project’s third phase will have a daily treatment capacity of one million cubic meters. The scope includes full design and construction, as well as sludge treatment using advanced anaerobic digestion systems. Work is expected to begin in the first quarter of next year.

Meanwhile, the East Alexandria plant will treat 300,000 cubic meters of wastewater daily. It will be executed by the Executive Authority for Potable Water and Sanitation and will also incorporate anaerobic sludge treatment to improve environmental outcomes and energy efficiency.

The East Alexandria project is backed by £68 million in financing and a £2 million grant from AFD. The Gabal El-Asfar project is supported by £50 million in financing, along with a £1.5 million grant from AFD and an additional £10 million grant from the European Union, administered by AFD.

These agreements highlight Egypt’s commitment to expanding and modernizing its water infrastructure while strengthening international partnerships to improve public services and promote sustainable urban development.