The Egyptian Minister for Social Solidarity, Nivine El-Qabbage has launched Egypt’s first website dedicated to providing electronic services to NGOs, whose number amounts to 36 services.

Ayman Abdel Mawgoud, assistant to the Minister of Social Solidarity for Civil Society Affairs explained that 28,000 unlicensed NGOs in Egypt finished legalizing their status, while 32,000 others are still in the process after online application.

He further explained referring to Article 2 of law no. 149/2019 which states that unlicensed NGOs must apply for licensing within a year after the foundation date, adding that the cabinet will soon submit a draft for an amendment to the House of Representatives to increase the duration to two years.

Minister El-Qabbage mentioned that Egypt had 52,000 local NGOs and 59 foreign NGOs and stated that the size of foreign funds granted to NGOs in Egypt in 2020 was LE 2 billion. The grants came from American, French, German, and Swiss entities.

He pointed out that funding from foreign countries is allowed as long as the source is known and there is suspicious involvement in terrorism, extremism, or money laundering.