Minister of International Co-operation, Rania el-Mashat, launched on Sunday the joint country strategy with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) for the 2022-2027 period.
The launch of the strategy took place in Cairo during a major ceremony organized by el-Mashat’s ministry, one attended by a large number of cabinet ministers, government officials, officials of the EBRD and representatives of the private sector and the civil society.
The new strategy, the minister said, is based on three basic priorities that are in line with Egypt’s sustainable development plans.
She revealed that the first priority of the strategy is to support Egyptian efforts to achieve comprehensive and sustainable economic growth.
The second priority is to accelerate the transition towards a green economy, the minister said.
She added that the third priority of the strategy is to enhance competitiveness, increase growth rates and stimulate the role of the private sector.
The minister noted that the priorities of the new strategy were decided last year, through a series of consultations between national institutions, the civil society and officials at the EBRD.
“The launch of the country strategy with the EBRD comes at a time of major local, regional and international changes,” the minister said.
She added that the strategy comes to confirms Egypt’s commitment to consolidate multilateral co-operation with international institutions, within the framework of international co-operation and development finance.
The strategy, she added, aims to achieve national goals, including comprehensive and sustainable economic growth, accelerating the transition towards a green economy, enhancing competitiveness, increasing growth rates, and stimulating the role of the private sector in development.
She noted that the strategy was formulated through what she described as a ‘participatory’ and a ‘transparent’ approach that reflects the values of integration and hard work.
She expected this approach to support the implementation of sustainable development goals, the National Sustainable Energy Strategy for 2035, and national strategies for the empowerment of women, youth and girls.
She added that the same approach would boost the implementation of presidential initiatives, including the Decent Life initiative for the development of the Egyptian countryside.
“We have hopes that the strategy will bear fruit in the coming years,” the minister said.
She highlighted the importance of co-operation with the EBRD, describing it as one of Egypt’s most important multilateral development partners.
Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry, who attended the launch of the strategy, noted that this launch coincides with tireless Egyptian efforts to achieve sustainable development.
Egypt, he said, wants to achieve this development in a way that fulfils the aspirations of its people and contributes to its development at all political, economic and cultural levels.
“We want to keep pace with the global march towards progress,” the foreign minister said.
Nonetheless, the foreign minister referred to a number of challenges on the road to fulfilling these national aspirations, especially when it comes to the prevailing international political climate and the Covid-19 pandemic.
The strategy, he said, would contribute to enhancing Egypt’s abilities to confront these challenges.
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