Egypt’s Minister of Industry Khaled Hashem met on Thursday with Abdulaziz aA-Mulla, Executive Director of the Arab States Group at the World Bank, and Ambassador Hisham Seif Eddin , Alternate Executive Director of the Group, to explore avenues for expanding collaboration between Egypt and the bank in fields of industrial development and industrial zone infrastructure.
The meeting follows recent discussions in Egypt between President Abdel Fattah El Sisi and Prime Minister Moustafa Madbouli with the World Bank’s President as well as consultations between representatives of the Arab States Group at the bank and Egyptian ministries engaged in World Bank-supported projects.
During the meeting, Minister Hashem noted that the ministry is currently reviewing the National Strategy for the Development of Egyptian Industry, developed in co-operation with the WB, in light of evolving global and regional conditions, including international economic crises and newly-imposed US tariffs.
The ministry is working to identify five priority industries and five supporting sectors, relying on accurate data and technological insights with the bank’s support.
The minister also outlined plans to modernise the industrial land allocation system through comprehensive industrial maps identifying strategic sectors across governorates, while offering serviced land and incentive packages to attract global investors.
Hashem highlighted initiatives to boost research and development through the Industrial Modernisation Centre and a forthcoming programme with the Ministry of Higher Education to link scientific research with industrial needs, establish technology parks at universities, and create a unified national database of industrial innovations.
He further underscored co-operation opportunities with the World Bank in skills development, industrial financing—including citizen-supported investment funds—and initiatives such as “productive villages” to stimulate regional industry and reduce migration.
The ministry is also advancing programmes including the National Automotive Industry Development Programme to deepen local manufacturing and aims to double Egyptian exports by 2030.
For his part, Abdulaziz al-Mulla reaffirmed the Arab States Group’s commitment to supporting Egypt, particularly in workforce training and expanding employment opportunities within the industrial sector.
