Dr. Rania Al-Mashat, Egypt’s Minister of Planning, Economic Development, and International Cooperation, met with a high-level delegation from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) to review ongoing collaboration and explore future strategic engagement. The discussions focused on advancing structural reform agendas and Egypt’s upcoming co-leadership of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Initiative on Governance and Competitiveness for Development from 2026 to 2030. n nThe OECD delegation included Louis Boisgrollier, Director of Country Studies in the Economics Department, Antonio Gomez, Deputy Director for Finance and Enterprise, Carlos Conde, Head of the Middle East and Africa Division, and Charlotte Guimans, Program Coordinator and Policy Analyst in the Directorate for Global Relations and Cooperation. n nDuring the meeting, the minister highlighted key outcomes achieved through the partnership, including the publication of Egypt’s first comprehensive economic survey, which provided 60 policy recommendations. She also referenced joint efforts with the Central Bank to develop a national financial literacy strategy, as well as the OECD’s review of Egypt’s artificial intelligence policies that led to an updated national AI strategy. Egypt has also been included in the OECD’s Digital Transformation Tool to foster innovation. Additional progress was noted in green growth assessments, preliminary reports on low-carbon hydrogen and transport infrastructure financing, and support for the National Institute for Governance and Sustainable Development. Initiatives promoting women’s economic empowerment were also emphasized, including the Women’s Economic Empowerment Forum (WEEF) 2024 and the launch of a joint EU–OECD project supporting women entrepreneurs. n nThe meeting further addressed ongoing sectoral reviews scheduled for completion in 2025, covering agriculture and food systems, statistical frameworks, women’s economic inclusion, education, innovation, value-added trade, infrastructure governance, and investment and procurement frameworks for state-owned enterprises. n nDr. Al-Mashat emphasized that Egypt’s shared leadership of the MENA-OECD Governance and Competitiveness Initiative presents a strategic opportunity to shape regional development priorities. She affirmed Egypt’s commitment to aligning the initiative’s goals with national development plans through a clearly defined roadmap. n nThe session concluded with discussions on evaluating the country program with the OECD, through both independent external assessments and internal evaluations led by the ministry. These assessments will inform future cooperation frameworks, with emphasis on sustaining reforms, boosting private sector participation, accelerating green transformation, and improving the business environment to strengthen Egypt’s economic competitiveness. n— news from alkhaborlive
