Egypt highlights private sector growth at IMF-WB meetings

Egypt’s Minister of Planning and Economic Development, Ahmed Rostom, took part in a high-level event on promoting private sector-led growth during the Spring Meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank Group in Washington, DC.
During the event, Rostom stressed the government’s focus on equipping young people with the skills needed to launch sustainable projects and support entrepreneurship.
The minister reviewed Egypt’s ongoing economic reform efforts aimed at creating jobs and improving living standards.These include measures to boost startups, alongside the continued implementation of the presidential “Decent Life” initiative, which supports development in rural areas by improving services and infrastructure.
Rostom noted that the meetings come at a time of growing global and regional challenges. Despite this, Egypt is working to strengthen its economic resilience while continuing reforms that support private sector growth and job creation.
He explained that boosting growth requires increasing private investment and investing in human capital. The government has introduced a cap on public investments to create more room for private sector participation, which now accounts for about 59% of total investments in the national development plan.
The “Decent Life” initiative, he added, goes beyond infrastructure to promote economic empowerment in around 4,500 villages, helping reduce poverty and address regional development gaps. About 68% of its first-phase investments are directed to Upper Egypt, with efforts underway to complete this phase and move to the next.
Rostom outlined three main pillars of the initiative: upgrading infrastructure, supporting productive sectors such as agriculture and industry, and targeting vulnerable groups, particularly youth and women. Around 70 per cent of investments are allocated to education, healthcare, and social protection.
He also highlighted efforts to promote local manufacturing, expand financial inclusion, and support digital and green transformation through the Green Village initiative. These efforts have helped position “Decent Life” as a model featured on United Nations platforms supporting the Sustainable Development Goals.