Cairo – The U.S.-Egypt Science and Technology Joint Board approved fifteen collaborative research projects in health, water, agriculture, technology, and energy totaling $4.5 million last week in Washington, D.C.  The Joint Board also agreed to send ten young Egyptian scientists to the United States to conduct research in their areas of specialization.

“One of the greatest strengths of the program is that it promotes collaboration between Egyptian and American scientists to address development challenges,” said Dr. Mary C. Ott, USAID Assistant Administrator for the Middle East. “The person-to-person relationships established among scientists during this time have contributed to a global culture of critical thinking, respect, and cooperation.”

The U.S.-Egypt Science and Technology Cooperation Fund was established in 1995 to strengthen scientific capacity, expand relations between U.S. and Egyptian scientific communities, and promote scientific and technological cooperation.  With equal financial support from the U.S. and Egyptian governments, this fund has supported the participation of over 10,000 Egyptian and U.S. scientists in more than 480 collaborative research projects and over 60 workshops in fields relevant to Egypt’s national and economic development.  The U.S. contributions to the Joint Fund are provided by USAID and implemented through an interagency agreement with the National Academy of Sciences.

For more information, please visit the National Academy of Sciences website at http://sites.nationalacademies.org/pga/dsc/egypt/index.htm, the Science and Technology Development Fund website at http://www.stdf.org.eg/, or the Embassy of the United States website at http://egypt.usembassy.gov/usegypt.html.