Japan to help Egypt restore stability

Japan plans to provide Egypt a total of USD 16 million in new aid to help it restore stability and develop its economy, with the cooperation of the UN Development Programme and other organizations, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Friday. The aid was offered during a meeting in Tokyo between Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida and his Egyptian counterpart Nabil Fahmy on Thursday, according to the ministry. "Japan will continue to extend support toward economic development and socio-economic stability that benefits Egyptian citizens overall, while focusing on Egypt's progress with the democratization process and the promotion of youth employment," Kishida told Fahmy at the talks, the statement said. Kishida also announced the provision of the grant aid for the construction of a ward for the Cairo University Pediatric Hospital, and Japan's intention to implement new yen loans. "However, in going forward, Japan wants to consider such loans based on explanations of Egypt's specific efforts toward economic stabilization," Kishida told Fahmy. For his part, the Egyptian minister said the government has implemented expansionary policies for improving the economic situation and expressed gratitude for the new economic assistances and the longstanding assistances from Japan such as Egypt-Japan University of Science and Technology, the statement said. Kishida also encouraged Egypt's steady progress in its transition to democracy with the roadmap, saying, "The finalization of the amended draft constitution is an important milestone in particular, and I will be watching closely the course of the national referendum on January 14 and 15 next year." The Japanese minister said regulations such as the protest law and the detention of anti-government activists are a concern as they are issues that also involve human rights and social stability. On the other hand, Kishida said he is well aware of the struggles the interim government faces in maintaining security and public order after President Mohammed Morsi was ousted in July. In response, Fahmy said democratization process such as drafting the amended constitution has been progressing. "It proceeds based on guarantee of the basic human rights and the principle of the rule of law and he hope the interim-period will be terminated peacefully by next summer," he added.