Egypt, WB discuss expanding human development cooperation

Egypt’s Health Minister Khaled Abdel Ghaffar met with the World Bank Regional Director for Human Development in the Middle East and North Africa Fadia Saadah to discuss collaboration in human development, a Cabinet statement said.

Abdel Ghaffar expressed his aspiration to strengthen the partnership with the bank in order to support programmes that enhance human development and investment in human capital in Egypt, the statement added.

The meeting discussed priorities and future collaboration plans with the World Bank to support Egypt’s national vision for human development in health, social, and education.

The meeting discussed Egypt’s achievements in human capital development, such as lower mortality and population growth rates, the Universal Health Insurance System, and the Takaful and Karama programme. It also focused on enhancing education access and promoting gender equality.

Abdel Ghaffar stressed the importance of leveraging advanced international expertise in the human development field to maximise the impact of national efforts, the spokesperson added.

The meeting also explored potential collaboration in early childhood development, elderly services, women’s empowerment, and job creation for sustainable development, according to the statement.

The discussions further addressed the state’s plan to expand the application of the Universal Health Insurance System, as a cornerstone for achieving health equity and ensuring the sustainability of medical services provided to citizens.

Saadah praised Egypt for its strong emphasis on human development and prioritisation of building a productive society. She thanked the Health Minister for his efforts in improving health and social services and reiterated the World Bank’s readiness to offer technical support and strategic partnership with the ministry.

Attribution: Amwal Al Ghad English
Subediting: M. S. Salama