Egypt aiming to start manufacture of US COVID-19 vaccine soon: Prime minister

Laboratory workers supervise the production of vials of a coronavirus vaccine produced by Egyptian company Vacsera in Cairo. (File/AFP)
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Updated 07 October 2021
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Egypt aiming to start manufacture of US COVID-19 vaccine soon: Prime minister

  • Madbouly: Cooperation between the health ministry and Harvard University had been beneficial for Egypt
  • US ambassador to Cairo said joint medical initiatives taking place with Egypt were working well

CAIRO: Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly has revealed that his country is close to securing a deal to start manufacturing an American COVID-19 vaccine in its state-owned Vacsera factories.

The premier’s announcement came during a recent meeting with Ajay Singh, dean of graduate studies at Harvard Medical School, that was also attended by Hala Zayed, Egypt’s minister of health and population, and Jonathan Cohen, the US ambassador to Cairo.

Madbouly said that cooperation between the health ministry and Harvard University had been beneficial for Egypt and other countries in the region, as Egyptian doctors worked extensively in Arab and Middle Eastern states. And the PM thanked Cohen for Pfizer and Moderna vaccines gifted to Egypt by the US administration.

Harvard University, Singh said, was keen to continue with and develop training programs with Egypt to help the northeast African country become a center for advanced medical education.

Cohen said joint medical initiatives taking place with Egypt were working well and that the US considered its links with Cairo important to American relations in the Middle East.

Zayed reviewed existing cooperation programs with Harvard University, which began two years ago, involving the skills training of Egyptian doctors in the latest medical developments. She added that the US also cooperated in the approval of medical exams and certificates in Egypt.


Egypt’s parliament approves cabinet reshuffle: state media

The reshuffle brings in 14 new ministers and creates a new post for a deputy prime minister in charge of economic affairs. (AFP)
Updated 57 min 2 sec ago
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Egypt’s parliament approves cabinet reshuffle: state media

  • The reshuffle brings in 14 new ministers and creates a new post for a deputy prime minister in charge of economic affairs

CAIRO: Egypt’s parliament approved a limited cabinet reshuffle on Tuesday, endorsing changes proposed by President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, state media reported.
The reshuffle brings in 14 new ministers and creates a new post for a deputy prime minister in charge of economic affairs, according to the state-owned Al-Ahram newspaper.
The former head of parliament’s budget and planning committee, Hussein Issa, was appointed to that post.
Ahmed Rostom, a former specialist at the World Bank, was appointed minister of planning.
Mohamed Farid Saleh, who was executive chairman of Egypt’s Financial Regulatory Authority, was named minister of investment and foreign trade.
The changes also include the revival of the Ministry of Information, which will be headed by Diaa Rashwan, the current head of the State Information Service (SIS).
The ministry, tasked with overseeing media policy, had been dissolved several times following the 2011 uprising that toppled former president Hosni Mubarak, with its functions transferred later to media regulatory bodies.
As part of the reshuffle, the transport and industry ministries were separated.
Kamel Al-Wazir will continue as minister of transport only, having previously overseen both portfolios.
Planning was also separated from international cooperation, with Rania Al-Mashat remaining as minister of international cooperation.
Several key ministers retained their posts, including the ministers of finance, foreign affairs, defense, interior, petroleum and health.
The new government is expected to be sworn in on Wednesday, Egyptian media reported.