Prime Minister Dr. Mostafa Madbouly chaired a meeting of the ministerial economic group on Thursday evening to discuss various economic issues. According to Mohamed El-Homossany, the official spokesperson for the Prime Minister’s office, the meeting reviewed progress on the economic reform program with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), specifically the fifth review being conducted in collaboration with the government and the Central Bank. The discussion also covered key measures within the “Resilience and Sustainability Framework,” noting that the inflation rate for June aligns with the IMF’s targeted performance indicators. Future expectations suggest a decline in inflation during the next year, provided no additional factors arise. The meeting highlighted efforts to reduce external debt, affirming that the current fiscal year concludes without exceeding the set external debt ceiling. Additionally, the meeting reviewed the status of the National Committee for Business Readiness, established under Prime Minister’s Decree No. 939 of 2025. The “Business Readiness” report, an annual publication by the World Bank, evaluates the investment climate and ease of doing business throughout a company’s lifecycle. The report serves as a strategic reference for reforms, guiding governments to adopt necessary legislative, procedural, and digital transformation policies to create a competitive and attractive investment environment. The meeting also discussed the preliminary steps taken towards Egypt’s inclusion in this report, including institutional and regulatory framework preparations, forming working groups, and outlining future action plans. Furthermore, a pilot launch of the Unified Licensing Platform was presented, described as a strategic platform developed over recent months in coordination with various state entities to enhance the investment climate and improve Egypt’s economic competitiveness. The platform electronically connects 41 government entities, offering investors access to 250 different services, responding to inquiries, providing guides, reviewing documents, and directing requests to relevant administrative authorities. Current platform developments include updating licensing guides, training specialized personnel, enabling electronic payment of dues through E-Finance, and conducting cybersecurity tests to ensure data protection. The meeting was attended by Hassan Abdullah, Governor of the Central Bank, Dr. Rania Al-Mashat, Minister of Planning and Economic Development and International Cooperation, Dr. Sherif Farouk, Minister of Supply and Internal Trade, Engineer Hassan El-Khatib, Minister of Investment and Foreign Trade, Yasser Sobhi, Deputy Minister of Finance for Financial Policies, Rami Abu El-Naga, Deputy Governor of the Central Bank, and other officials from the ministries and the Central Bank of Egypt.
— new from (Hapi Journal)
