Egypt’s Minister of Planning and Economic Development has held high-level talks with the World Bank to reinforce strategic cooperation aimed at accelerating structural reforms and advancing the country’s national development agenda.
Ahmed Rostom received a senior World Bank delegation headed by Stephane Guimbert, World Bank Country Director for Egypt, Yemen and Djibouti, alongside the Bank’s Cairo-based team.
The meeting was attended by Samar El-Ahdal, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and Egyptians Abroad, underscoring the government’s push for coordinated engagement with international financing partners.
The discussions focused on strengthening bilateral collaboration and expanding technical support for Egypt’s annual and medium-term (three-year) development plans. Central to the talks was improving the efficiency of public investment and promoting growth anchored in human development.
Rostom emphasized the importance of close coordination between the Ministry of Planning and Economic Development and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation to ensure that international partnerships are leveraged effectively in pursuit of sustainable development goals.
“The Egyptian citizen is at the heart of the development process,” Rostom said, highlighting that the ministry’s current priority is finalizing the upcoming annual development plan and the three-year medium-term framework.
According to the minister, the ministry’s new strategy centers on recalibrating public investment priorities to enhance spending efficiency and deliver tangible social returns. Particular emphasis is being placed on stimulating economic clusters capable of generating employment opportunities, an approach designed to strengthen social safety net programs, including the “Takaful and Karama” cash-transfer scheme.
Rostom also reaffirmed the government’s commitment to sustaining the presidential “Decent Life” rural development initiative, ensuring the swift rollout of its second and third phases in line with directives issued to the newly formed cabinet.
He noted that Egypt’s cooperation model with the World Bank is evolving toward a more integrated framework that balances fiscal discipline with social investment. “The government is not merely planning for growth,” Rostom said, “but laying the foundations for a resilient and sustainable economy capable of meeting citizens’ aspirations.”
On his part, Guimbert reiterated the World Bank’s commitment to providing comprehensive technical assistance and expertise across key sectors. Support will include strengthening public financial governance through expenditure reviews and domestic resource mobilization to secure a robust medium-term fiscal framework.
Cooperation will also extend to social protection and healthcare, including advanced analytical support for Egypt’s universal health insurance system, as well as initiatives to enhance economic resilience by developing productive economic clusters that expand employment opportunities.
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