Al Mashat Attends Farewell Ceremony for British Amb. in Cairo

Rania Al-Mashat, Minister of Planning and Economic Development participated in a farewell reception for British Ambassador Gareth Bayley, organized by the Egyptian-British Business Association. 

The event, held to mark the end of Ambassador Bayley's tenure in Egypt, was attended by prominent public figures and members of the Egyptian and British business communities.

In her speech, Al-Mashat praised Ambassador Bayley’s pivotal role in strengthening Egyptian-British economic relations since his arrival in 2021. She highlighted the Ambassador's efforts in fostering partnerships between the private sectors of both nations, notably through cooperation with the British International Investment (BII) and the fruitful bilateral collaboration between the governments of Egypt and the United Kingdom.

Al-Mashat also reflected on the continued progress in Egyptian-British development cooperation, emphasizing the United Kingdom’s support for the launch of Egypt’s "Novee" National Platform. 

Additionally, the UK has contributed to the "Hafiz" platform, which provides both financial and technical support to Egypt’s private sector. These efforts align with the two nations' joint goals of diversifying innovative financing sources for both public and private sectors, as well as supporting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and climate-focused startups.

The Minister highlighted that the UK's commitment to Egypt’s green transformation has been reflected in its support for climate-related financing mechanisms, such as the Climate Finance Acceleration Program, developed in collaboration with both the government and the private sector.

In his farewell address, Ambassador Bayley expressed his sincere gratitude to the Egyptian government and people for the warm hospitality he received during his tenure. He acknowledged the longstanding and historical relationship between Egypt and the UK, underscoring the depth of cooperation between the two nations, both at the governmental and private sector levels.

Bayley also pointed to several UK-supported projects in Egypt, such as the "Novee" National Platform, which plays a crucial role in attracting climate investments and advancing Egypt’s green transformation agenda. He also emphasized the UK's contributions to energy and food security through various programs, including its role in the food sector within the Novee framework, through the International Partnership for Integration.