For integrating environmental sustainability into national development, Dr. Rania Al-Mashat, Minister of Planning and Economic Development , and Dr. Yasmine Fouad, Minister of Environment, convened to discuss the investment priorities for the environment sector in the upcoming fiscal year 2025/2026.
The meeting focused on aligning the environmental sector’s development plan with the government’s overall investment strategy and sustainable development goals. Al-Mashat emphasized the critical role of the environmental dimension in achieving sustainable development, highlighting its interconnectedness with economic and social progress. She underscored the government’s commitment to transitioning towards a green economy, with a target of increasing green public investments to 55% of total public investments in the next fiscal year.
“The shift towards a green economy and the consideration of environmental sustainability is a key direction in the state’s development plan,” Al-Mashat stated. She also highlighted Egypt’s Vision 2030, which prioritizes an integrated and sustainable ecosystem by addressing climate change challenges, ensuring natural resource sustainability, preserving biodiversity, and maintaining ecosystem sustainability.
Fouad outlined the Ministry of Environment’s investment plan for the upcoming year, which includes several high-impact projects. One of the key initiatives is the completion of the integrated waste management city in 10th of Ramadan, which aims to be a model for treating all types of waste generated in Egypt.
The plan also includes the delivery of 120 electric buses for Greater Cairo, a pilot project for expanding electric public transportation, implemented in collaboration with the World Bank. Additionally, the Ministry of Environment, through the Waste Management Regulatory Authority, will continue to provide technical support for waste management infrastructure development across the country.
Al-Mashat also outlined the six key pillars of the 2025/2026 economic and social development plan, which include aligning with Egypt’s Vision 2030, government priorities, sector-specific strategies, structural reforms, and promoting private sector engagement. She noted that the ministry is transitioning to a three-year planning cycle starting from the 2026/2027 fiscal year, in line with the Unified Public Finance Law.
The meeting underscores Egypt’s commitment to integrating environmental considerations into its development planning, signaling a move towards a more sustainable and resilient future.
