Part of the signing ceremony. Photo courtesy of Egyptian cabinet.
According to a cabinet statement, the step marks a new milestone in the implementation of Egypt’s first nuclear power plant and further strengthens the country’s peaceful nuclear energy programme.
The Comprehensive Cooperation Programme Agreement encompasses multiple areas, including nuclear energy, medical applications such as the production of radioactive isotopes for cancer treatment, advanced manufacturing technologies such as 3D printing for nuclear applications, and telecommunications.
The signing coincided with the installation of the reactor pressure vessel for Unit 1 of the El-Dabaa plant, an event attended via videoconference by President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
It also took place during Egypt’s celebration of the fifth annual Nuclear Energy Day on 19 November, which commemorates the 2015 intergovernmental agreement that set the groundwork for the construction and operation of Egypt’s first nuclear power plant and launched its peaceful nuclear programme.
The ceremony at the El-Dabaa site was attended by Minister of Electricity and Renewable Energy Mahmoud Esmat; Nuclear Power Plants Authority (NPPA) Chairman Sherif Helmy; Rosatom Director General Alexey Likhachev; and several ministers and senior officials from both sides, reflecting the project’s strategic importance and the depth of Egyptian–Russian cooperation.
On the sidelines of the ceremony, PM Madbouly met with Rosatom’s Likhachev and his accompanying delegation.
Part of the meeting held by Egyptian Prime Minister Madbouly with Rosatom's Alexey Likhachev and his delegation. Photo courtesy of the Egyptian cabinet.
Madbouly welcomed Likhachev and expressed his personal commitment to following up on the implementation of the El-Dabaa project, particularly in light of the positive developments highlighted during the day’s high-level event.
He stressed that the project is not only an electricity-generation facility but also a cornerstone of Egypt’s Vision 2030 and its long-term development goals.
The prime minister also affirmed Egypt’s interest in continuing cooperation with the Russian side during the plant’s operational phase, especially in training and transferring expertise to Egyptian specialists.
Cabinet Spokesman Mohamed Elhomosany said the meeting reviewed key issues related to the plant’s upcoming operational stages and discussed expanded cooperation to train Egyptian personnel at Rosatom’s scientific and technical institutions.
Both sides emphasized the need to intensify efforts and accelerate progress to complete the remaining stages of the project.
The El-Dabaa Nuclear Power Plant, based on four VVER-1200 reactors with a total capacity of 4,800 MW, is considered a strategic pillar of Egypt's energy transformation agenda, a driver of sustainable development, and a catalyst for strengthening industrial infrastructure and building national expertise in peaceful nuclear technologies.
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