Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Co-operation and Egyptian Expatriates, Badr Abdelatty, received Vice President of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) Mark Bowman on Wednesday to discuss ways of strengthening the existing partnership between Egypt and the bank and enhancing cooperation in a number of priority sectors in Egypt.
Abdelatty praised the bank’s role in supporting Egypt’s economic development and structural reform efforts, expressing appreciation for the strategic partnership with the EBRD, particularly given Egypt’s position as the bank’s largest country of operations in the Southern and Eastern Mediterranean. He said this reflected the depth of cooperation and mutual trust between the two sides.
The minister affirmed Egypt’s keenness to further strengthen co-operation and increase the volume of the bank’s operations and projects in the Egyptian market, with a focus on empowering the private sector, particularly in the fields of energy, renewable energy, infrastructure and financial sector support. Such efforts, he noted, would help expand access for Egyptian products to European markets.
The Foreign Minister also said Egypt looks forward to hosting the EBRD’s Annual Meeting in Sharm El Sheikh in May 2027. He said hosting the prestigious international event reflected the bank’s appreciation of the strength and potential of the Egyptian economy, as well as its confidence in Egypt’s ability to sustain its path of growth and development.
Abdelatty stressed the need for the bank to play a more flexible role and respond more swiftly to the economic challenges facing the region amid current regional developments and their repercussions for energy and food security, supply chains and international trade.
He highlighted the importance of continuing to support energy projects under NWFE (Nexus of Water, Food and Energy), Egypt’s national platform for green projects, which would help mobilise additional concessional financing, support the transition to a green economy, advance new and renewable energy projects and strengthen energy security.
For his part, the bank’s representative praised the notable improvement in Egypt’s investment climate and the promising opportunities offered by the Egyptian market for the bank’s investments, particularly in renewable energy, electricity grids, fertilisers, agriculture and food industries.
He said these investments would contribute to increasing productivity and competitiveness, stressing the bank’s interest in expanding its activities in these sectors and capitalising on the available investment opportunities.
