Sohag Governorate Signs a Cooperation Protocol with the Coptic Evangelical Organization to Support and Empower People with Disabilities

Major General Dr. Abdel Fattah Serag:
Sohag Governorate is a model for integrating and empowering people with disabilities

Rev. Dr. Andrea Zaki, President of the Evangelical Community in Egypt and Head of the Coptic Evangelical Organization for Social Services:
We work in effective partnership with the state to empower people of determination

Major General Dr. Abdel Fattah Serag, Governor of Sohag, and Rev. Dr. Andrea Zaki, President of the Evangelical Community in Egypt and Head of the Coptic Evangelical Organization for Social Services, today signed a joint cooperation protocol to support and empower people with disabilities. The signing ceremony took place at the conference hall of the Sohag Governorate headquarters.

The signing was attended by a number of executive, legislative, and religious leaders, including Major General Staff Ahmed El-Sais, Secretary General of Sohag Governorate; Dr. Yasser Bakhit, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Social Solidarity; and MP Nancy Naim, Member of the House of Representatives, along with a high-level delegation from the Synod of the Nile, which included Rev. Moussa Ekladious, President of the Synod of the Nile; Rev. Rizkallah Noah, Vice President of the Synod; Rev. Dr. Magid Karam, Secretary General of the Council of Educational Institutions of the Synod of the Nile; Rev. Ayed Hanna, Head of the Sohag Evangelical Presbytery; and several leaders of the Coptic Evangelical Organization.

This initiative comes within the framework of strengthening partnerships between state institutions and civil society organizations, in light of President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi’s declaration of 2022 as the “Year of Civil Society” and the state’s focus on the “People of Determination” file. The protocol aims to support Sohag Governorate’s efforts to integrate and empower people with disabilities, positioning the governorate as an inclusive model. This will be achieved by implementing a range of activities and initiatives that contribute to their integration, rehabilitation, and empowerment, and by making public spaces accessible to meet their needs.

During the signing ceremony, the Governor of Sohag emphasized the governorate’s strong commitment to people with disabilities, placing their empowerment at the top of its priorities. He noted the political leadership’s belief in the importance of supporting this group and highlighted the various initiatives, activities, and events launched by the governorate to integrate and empower people with disabilities. He stressed the governorate’s ongoing efforts to provide more support in collaboration with governmental institutions and civil society and praised the developmental and social role of the Coptic Evangelical Organization in supporting the most vulnerable groups and raising community awareness about disability issues.

For his part, Rev. Dr. Andrea Zaki expressed his pleasure at collaborating with Sohag Governorate, commending its efforts in integrating and empowering people with disabilities. He affirmed the Organization’s commitment to continuing its developmental role through effective partnerships with state institutions to contribute to achieving comprehensive and sustainable development for all Egyptians.

It is worth noting that the protocol includes cooperation between both parties in the fields of physical and speech rehabilitation, early intervention, training on engineering accessibility for public facilities, implementing pilot models for spatial accessibility, providing mobility aids and assistive devices, as well as organizing awareness campaigns and training community health and rural leaders to spread social awareness.

The protocol also stipulates the formation of a joint committee consisting of representatives from the governorate headquarters, the Directorate of Social Solidarity, and the Coptic Evangelical Organization to monitor the implementation of the agreed activities and provisions, and to develop regular action plans to ensure the desired objectives are achieved. The protocol will remain in effect for two years from the date of signing.