The protocol was signed by Hesham El-Helbawy, Assistant Minister of Local Development for National Projects; Adel Abdel Azim, Head of the Agricultural Research Centre; and Ihab Nafea, Deputy Secretary-General of New Valley Governorate. It was attended by Manal Awad, Minister of Local Development and Acting Minister of Environment; Alaa Farouk, Minister of Agriculture and Land Reclamation; and Mohamed Al-Zamlout, Governor of New Valley.
Minister Manal Awad stressed that the center’s establishment comes in direct implementation of the President’s directives to localise the silk industry in Egypt. She explained that an executive plan was prepared in coordination with the Ministry of Agriculture and other stakeholders and approved by the Prime Minister to launch the project.
Awad emphasised that the centre would not only strengthen self-sufficiency in silk production but also generate new job opportunities, particularly for young people. “The project will serve as a model for replication across other governorates and contribute to reducing imports and saving foreign currency,” she said.