For over a century, Egypt and Japan have enjoyed a longstanding friendship beginning in 1922 when Japan became the first Asian country to recognize Egypt’s independence. Since the mid-1970s, Japan has proactively provided financial support to aid the development of infrastructure in Egypt. Official Development Assistance (ODA) grants began in 1973, followed by yen loans in 1974, and in 1977, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) established an office in Egypt. Japan is the world’s third-largest development cooperation partner by ODA value. The cumulative value of Japan’s ODA to Egypt amounts to approximately USD 1.5 billion (EGP 70 billion) in grants, USD 7.2 billion (EGP 335.6 billion) in loans, and USD 900 million (EGP 42 billion) in technical cooperation. In 2023, Egyptian President Abdelfattah al-Sisi and the Prime Minister of Japan, Fumio Kishida, upgraded their bilateral relations to a “strategic partnership” to advance cooperation on several fronts to achieve regional stability and prosperity. From trade to education, the two countries enjoy dynamic bilateral relations in different fields. Education The Japanese development cooperation in Egypt has achieved tangible results in education. The Egyptian-Japanese University for Science and Technology (E-JUST) which opened…
