Minister of Planning and Economic Development Ahmed Rostom met on Wednesday with Andreas Schaal, Director for Global Relations and Co-operation at the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). The meeting was held on the sidelines of the 2026 OECD Ministerial Council Meeting in Paris, under the theme “Shaping Sound Economic Policies for Open Markets, Growth and Prosperity.”
The two sides discussed ways to boost co-operation and expand the strategic partnership between Egypt and the OECD.
During the meeting, Rostom affirmed the longstanding and productive co-operation between Egypt and the OECD, expressing Egypt’s aspiration to explore new horizons for future partnership with the organisation.
The minister highlighted that the joint Country Programme, alongside Egypt’s planned hosting of the High-Level Ministerial Meeting of the Middle East and North Africa Initiative on Governance and Competitiveness for Development during the final quarter of this year — within the framework of Egypt’s co-chairmanship of the initiative for the 2026–2030 period — represent key pillars underpinning the strategic partnership between both sides.
He added that this co-operation has enabled Egypt to play an active role in regional dialogue and knowledge exchange aimed at building more resilient economies across the region.
Rostom noted that the first phase of the Country Programme achieved tangible progress across five strategic pillars, namely economic growth, innovation and digital transformation, governance and anti-corruption, statistics, and sustainable development, all of which are fully aligned with Egypt Vision 2030.
He underscored the importance of maximising the benefits of Egypt’s African partnerships and boosting its strategic role through the transfer of OECD frameworks and standards to African countries in the areas of capacity building and economic policy coordination.
The minister explained that this approach would be implemented in close coordination with key continental institutions, including the African Union, the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), and the Secretariat of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
