Rinchi
TechInAfrica — The OPEC Fund for International Development (OFID), represented by the Director-General of OFID, Suleiman J Al-Herbish signed grant agreements in Cairo, Egypt as a support for the Regional Centre for Renewable Energy Efficiency (RCREEE) as well as Bibliotheca Alexandrina.
Al-Herbish paid a visit to the graduation ceremony on the 10th of RCREE’s Arab Program for Sustainable Energy Youth (APSEY). Along with the event ceremony, he and Dr. Ahmed Badr—Director General of RCREEE—signed a $180,000 grant settlement as a support for the 11th round of students.
According to Al-Herbish, the abolishment of energy deficiency demands potent synergies and partnerships. Building up capacity will lead to an achievement in many sectors. Therefore, the signing grant agreement will support many areas in the Arab regions.
Speaking of APSEY, it offers a regional internship program focuses on sustainable energy. Its targets are young professionals, postgraduate engineering, law, and economy student in the Arab regions. The total amount of OFID’s grants to the program is up to US$250,000.
Besides the grant agreement of APSEY internship program, both Al-Herbish and the Director of Egypt’s Bibliotheca Alexandrina, Dr. Mostafa el Feki also signed a US$200,000 grant agreement to fund a project called “The Arabs’ Memory”. The project aims are to document, preserve, and digitize Arab heritage.
Egypt’s Bibliotheca Alexandrina is the main library complex and cultural center in the city of Alexandria. It has collections of books in Arabic, English, as well as French. Before the current agreement, OFID has previously set two grant agreements with Egypt’s Bibliotheca Alexandrina with a total amount of US$250,000.
Dr. Mostafa el Feki, as the Director of Egypt’s Bibliotheca Alexandrina felt thankful for the continuous support of OFID. He also commented on their very recent project which he hopes it will record the past and let it accessible to all people.
Al-Herbish restated about the OFID’s focus in cultural matters as the fourth pillar of developments including educational, economic, social, and environmental pillars. He mentioned that the grant support for Bibliotheca Alexandrina coming from a perception that it’s a place for dialogue, learning, as well as understanding between people and culture.
