Dr. Rania Al-Mashat, Minister of Planning, met with Mr. Eric Chevalier, Ambassador of France to Egypt, Ms. Sandra Kassab, Director for Africa at the French Development Agency (AFD), and Ms. Clemence Vidal de la Blache, Director of AFD in Egypt, at the Ministry’s headquarters in the New Administrative Capital. The meeting was part of ongoing efforts to strengthen Egyptian-French economic relations and deepen collaboration across various sectors to support Egypt’s economic development.
During the meeting, Dr. Al-Mashat emphasized the depth and importance of Egypt-France relations, highlighting the progress made in recent years and its positive impact on numerous developmental projects in priority sectors. These projects are a result of Egypt’s collaboration with AFD, which has played a pivotal role in boosting economic growth, promoting sustainable development, and creating better opportunities for the Egyptian economy.
Dr. Al-Mashat also underscored Egypt’s open and attractive investment environment, expressing readiness to forge new partnerships and welcome foreign investments that would drive innovation, economic growth, and sustainable development. She highlighted that the shared goals and mutual respect between the two countries provide a model for international cooperation, which Egypt is committed to building upon in the coming years.
She also praised France’s steadfast commitment and contributions, noting their significant impact in strengthening Egypt’s economy through investments in key sectors such as transport, health, energy, education, and housing. France’s support for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), market access, and the flow of knowledge and expertise has further enhanced bilateral ties.
Dr. Al-Mashat reviewed Egypt’s efforts to improve governance and efficiency in investment spending as part of the government’s program to ensure macroeconomic stability and encourage private sector investment. She explained that the Ministry of Planning, Economic Development, and International Cooperation is driving sustainable economic growth by utilizing evidence-based policies to identify and address developmental gaps, enhancing macroeconomic stability, implementing structural reforms to boost competitiveness, and supporting financial policy flexibility.
Dr. Al-Mashat also discussed the launch of the Egypt-AFD Country Strategy for 2025, titled “Towards Shared Prosperity,” which aims to maximize the benefits of international partnerships and development financing to support Egypt’s 2030 National Development Vision. She concluded by noting that this strategy is a culmination of a prosperous phase in the bilateral relationship and reflects the joint commitment to implementing the Paris Climate Agreement and advancing sustainable development efforts.
