Minister of Planning and International Co-operation, Rania al-Mashat, reviewed on Friday the most populous Arab country’s experience in implementing the pioneering social protection programme “Takaful and Karama” during the Spring Meetings of the World Bank Group (WBG) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) held in Washington.
Al-Mashat, who is also Egypt’s Governor at the World Bank, elaborated on the country’s social protection programme over the past 10 years during a forum held on the sidelines of the WB, IMF Spring Meetings titled “Social Protection in the Middle East and North Africa: Lessons and Innovations to Protect Individuals”.
Highlighting the strong partnership between Egypt and the WBG in sectors like social protection and infrastructure, the forum addressed Egypt’s efforts in this crucial area.
Minister Mashat emphasised the pioneering “Takaful and Karama” programme, launched in 2015 and supported by approximately $1.4 billion in World Bank funding over a decade.
She stressed the urgent need for robust social safety nets to protect vulnerable populations amidst growing regional and international economic challenges. Al-Mashat underscored the government’s view of social protection as both a humanitarian imperative and a key to social cohesion and economic stability.
Egypt’s commitment is further solidified by the Social Security and Cash Support Fund Law, a landmark piece of legislation that transforms “Takaful and Karama” from a national initiative into a legally guaranteed right for eligible citizens, including the elderly, orphans, people with disabilities, and the unemployed, ensuring a fair and comprehensive social protection system.
