Egypt, World Bank discuss boosting development cooperation
Egypt’s Minister of Planning, Ahmed Rostom, met on Sunday with a high-level World Bank delegation to discuss strengthening strategic cooperation to support national development plans.
The meeting focused on consolidating the bilateral partnership and expanding technical support for Egypt’s annual and medium-term development programmes, with particular emphasis on improving public investment efficiency and advancing human development-led growth.
Rostom stressed the importance of coordination with international financing institutions, highlighting close cooperation between the Ministry of Planning and Economic Development and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to accelerate structural reforms and maximise the benefits of international partnerships in achieving sustainable development goals.
Rostom said the ministry is preparing the annual development plan and a three-year medium-term plan that places the Egyptian citizen at the centre of the development process. The new strategy prioritises public investment to ensure efficient spending and tangible social returns, while supporting economic clusters that create jobs and reinforce social protection programmes such as Takaful and Karama.
The minister also reaffirmed the government’s commitment to sustaining the presidential Decent Life (Hayah Kareema) initiative to improve living standards in rural Egypt and to swiftly implement its second and third phases in line with presidential directives.
World Bank officials reiterated the institution’s commitment to providing technical expertise across key areas, including fiscal governance through public expenditure reviews and domestic resource mobilisation to strengthen the medium-term fiscal framework. Cooperation also covers social protection and healthcare, including analytical support for the comprehensive health insurance system, as well as enhancing economic resilience by supporting the management of economic clusters to generate more employment opportunities.
Attribution: Amwal Al Ghad English