LUXOR – U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Deputy Assistant Administrator Andrew Plitt and Middle East Affairs Director Jessica Zaman visited Luxor Governorate from Washington this week to reaffirm USAID’s strong partnership with the Egyptian people and support for Egypt’s development priorities.  In a meeting on Tuesday with Luxor Governor Mustafa Mohamed Alhem Khaled, the delegation discussed USAID’s support for Upper Egypt priorities, including water and wastewater services, voluntary family planning, agriculture, and tourism development.

The delegation visited the El Hebeil Wastewater Treatment facility to hear from Mamdouh Raslan, Chairman of the Holding Company for Water and Wastewater, about how the USAID-funded expansion of the facility will meet the needs of the governorate’s growing population, while using energy-efficient technologies to keep the cost of operation and maintenance minimal.

At a primary health clinic, the delegation met with Egyptian staff to learn how they are conducting seminars on maternal and child health and nutrition and improving outreach for health services and healthy behaviors, areas in which USAID closely coordinates with the Ministry of Health to provide technical assistance.

The delegation visited with Egyptian farmers to see how USAID is supporting them in meeting global agricultural best practices to garner higher incomes, and heard from Agriculture Technical School graduates and current students about how USAID-sponsored training and career counseling helped them get jobs on commercial farms or start their own businesses.  

Finally, in Esna, the delegation met with a  local partner to learn about an innovative, community-based tourism development model, funded by USAID, that improves Esna’s potential for responsible cultural tourism, and that strikes a balance between heritage conservation, tourism requirements, and local development needs.  This approach engages community members to become part of the revitalization process, which generates new job opportunities, increases revenues, and increases economic benefits for the community.

These Upper Egypt projects are part of the four decades of partnership between the American and Egyptian people to bolster self-reliance, foster stability, promote economic growth, and reduce poverty.  USAID’s program in Egypt, totaling over $30 billion since 1978, promotes a healthy, educated, and employed population.  To find out more about USAID’s work, please see https://www.usaid.gov/egypt, and follow along on Facebook and Twitter at @USAIDEgypt.