The Ministry of Planning and Economic Development held talks on Friday with a delegation from the Green Climate Fund (GCF) on means to boost joint efforts to advance the green transition in Egypt, in line with Egypt Vision 2030, and to support co-operation under the National Initiative for Smart Green Projects.
The meeting was attended by Advisor to the Minister for International Relations Tareq El-Shaarawy, Assistant Minister for Sustainable Development Affairs Mona Essam, and General Coordinator of the National Initiative for Smart Green Projects Ambassador Hisham Badr.
The GCF delegation included Regional Director for Africa Catherine Koffman and Regional Director for North and Central Africa Gabriel Boc.
Shaarawy stressed the ministry’s commitment to strengthening co-operation with the Green Climate Fund, underlining its role in channeling support to developing countries most affected by climate change.
He highlighted the fund’s extensive experience in financing green transition projects in Africa and developing countries, noting that addressing such challenges requires practical, implementable solutions.
Essam reviewed Egypt’s efforts to integrate the climate dimension into national development priorities as a cross-cutting issue across key sectors, including health, education, water and sanitation, and transport.
She said the ministry is pursuing a strategy that aligns development planning with financial planning, with a focus on diversifying financing instruments and expanding their scope.
She added that the National Initiative for Smart Green Projects aligns with the State’s efforts to localize development across governorates and advance the Sustainable Development Goals.
Ambassador Badr outlined the initiative’s role in fostering a competitive, innovation-driven environment that encourages entrepreneurs and project owners to actively engage in climate action.
He noted that the initiative has received international recognition from the World Economic Forum for its contribution to reducing carbon emissions through enabling green projects.
He called for enhanced cooperation with the GCF to broaden the initiative’s scope, leveraging the fund’s technical and financial expertise.
For her part, Catherine Koffman commended Egypt’s efforts under the initiative, describing its approach as innovative and strategically sound.
She said the Green Climate Fund supports integrated programs and comprehensive investment platforms aligned with the concept of smart green projects.
She also highlighted the fund’s strong interest in women-led projects, which are prominently featured within the initiative, stressing the importance of establishing an integrated national investment platform for Egypt.
Such a platform, she said, should target priority sectors under a unified national framework, including energy, water, and agriculture, supported by standardised documentation and transparent, competitive mechanisms.
