Parliament has endorsed Tuesday four cooperation agreements totalling USD3.5bn signed with Germany, South Korea, Japan, and the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development (KFAED). A EUR65mn (cUSD70mn) deal with Germany was signed on 29 May aims to finance projects related to renewable energy, drinking water, sanitation, women empowerment, development of slums as well as SMEs. A USD3bn agreement with South Korean was signed on 3 March marking as a framework for a future cooperation with the Export–Import Bank of Korea (Korea Eximbank). A KWD29mn (cUSD100mn) was signed Kuwaiti Fund aimed to finance the establishment of five desalination plants in South Sinai. Parliament further ratified exchange of letters signed in Tokyo with Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) at a value of cUSD152mn, aimed to finance a project to upgrade Borg El Arab International Airport, in Alexandria. (Amwal Al Ghad)