During the 33rd session of the Egyptian-Jordanian Higher Joint Committee, Egypt’s Minister of Planning, Economic Development, and International Cooperation, Dr. Rania Al-Mashat, held a high-level meeting with her Jordanian counterpart, H.E. Zeina Toukan, to advance bilateral cooperation on economic development and sustainable growth strategies.
The committee session, co-chaired by the prime ministers of both countries, is the oldest standing Arab bilateral mechanism and continues to play a vital role in deepening strategic cooperation between Cairo and Amman. The talks focused on aligning development plans, promoting inclusive growth, enhancing job creation, and driving forward mutual priorities at regional and global levels.
Strengthening Developmental Planning and South-South Cooperation
Minister Al-Mashat emphasized the Egyptian leadership’s strong commitment to fostering deeper economic ties with Jordan, noting that both countries share a long-standing partnership supported by continuous political will.
“Our collaboration stands as a model of Arab economic integration, particularly during a time when regional and global developments demand stronger cross-border coordination,” said Al-Mashat.
The two sides agreed to activate a newly signed executive program between Egypt’s National Planning Institute and Jordan’s Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation. This program will facilitate capacity building, technical training, and joint research in strategic planning, governance, competitiveness, and sustainable development.
Shared Agenda for the UN SDGs and Governance Reform
The ministers reviewed their respective national efforts to achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly through governance reform initiatives carried out in partnership with the OECD. Egypt and Jordan have both undertaken public governance reviews and are aligning their voluntary local reviews (VLRs) to strengthen institutional transparency and localize development outcomes.
The ministers also discussed best practices from each country’s experiences with national sustainable development councils and multi-stakeholder engagement models.
Coordinated Push for Global Financial Reform
Beyond bilateral issues, the talks extended to shared strategic alignment on global development financing. Both ministers reiterated their commitment to jointly advocating for structural reform of the global financial architecture, following up on the outcomes of the recent Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development held in Seville.
They emphasized the urgency of strengthening the voice of developing and emerging economies within the international financial system and pushing for reforms across multilateral institutions, debt restructuring mechanisms, and climate finance flows.
Outlook
The 33rd session of the committee marks another milestone in the evolving Egyptian-Jordanian partnership. With global economic uncertainty and development financing challenges on the rise, both countries appear poised to elevate their cooperation beyond bilateral interests — shaping shared positions that resonate on the global stage.
