Egypt’s Minister of Finance, Ahmed Kouchouk, affirmed that strengthening domestic revenues and expanding blended finance mechanisms are essential to reducing investment risks across Africa.
Speaking at the African Consultative Group during the Spring Meetings of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank in Washington , Kouchouk stressed the need to combine concessional domestic resources with private capital to address rising energy and food costs.
He noted that exceptional regional challenges have intensified trade-offs between development spending, climate investment, and social protection, particularly amid growing debt burdens.
These pressures, he explained, are driven by increasing financing needs across African economies and higher borrowing costs linked to ongoing geopolitical developments.
Kouchouk added that the Egyptian government is advancing fiscal consolidation efforts in a way that supports the business community and economic activity.
He highlighted that the “tax facilitation” path has delivered strong revenue performance by promoting voluntary compliance, with a broader goal of expanding the tax base through rebuilding trust with the private sector.
The minister also expressed hope for a stronger role by the IMF in supporting African countries through more flexible programs, as well as enhanced policy advice and capacity-building initiatives.
He further pointed to Egypt’s successful issuance of Eurobonds and green bonds, its access to Asian markets, and the launch of sovereign sukuk as evidence of the importance of diversifying financing instruments.
