Amid mounting global economic challenges and an urgent push to reform international development finance, Egypt’s Minister of Planning, Dr. Rania Al-Mashat, held a series of intensive bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the G20 Development Ministers’ Meeting in South Africa. The high-level dialogues reflected Egypt’s proactive diplomatic and economic engagement with key international stakeholders, including senior government officials, heads of global financing institutions, and representatives from major United Nations agencies.
Dr. Al-Mashat’s meetings centered around the outcomes of the G20 Development Ministers’ sessions and the Seville Conference on Financing for Development, with particular emphasis on the need to operationalize recommendations that aim to reshape the global financial architecture. These discussions placed a spotlight on mobilizing capital for developing and emerging economies—especially in Africa—as they confront intersecting challenges such as climate change, constrained fiscal space, and the need for sustainable economic transformation.
During a key session with French State Minister for Francophonie and International Partnerships, Thani Mohamed Soilihi, both sides affirmed the deep-rooted and fast-evolving ties between Egypt and France. With the strategic partnership agreement signed during President Emmanuel Macron’s April visit to Cairo, bilateral cooperation has expanded across infrastructure, energy, transportation, and education. The discussions explored new investment guarantees under the EU framework to further drive French investment into Egypt.
A separate meeting with Canada’s newly appointed Minister of State for International Development, Randeep Sarai, emphasized the countries’ shared priorities on inclusive growth, economic empowerment, and climate resilience. Dr. Al-Mashat extended her congratulations to Sarai on his new role in Prime Minister Mark Carney’s administration, recalling past fruitful collaboration with Canada through the “NWFE” (Novi) program and the GFANZ climate finance alliance. The Minister expressed confidence in the new Canadian government’s ability to add momentum to bilateral cooperation in climate finance, human development, and gender equality.
Furthering Egypt’s strategic outreach to Asia, Dr. Al-Mashat held constructive talks with Singapore’s Senior Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and National Development, Sim Ann. The two discussed ways to leverage over six decades of diplomatic relations, particularly in education, trade, and urban development. They stressed the importance of aligning development agendas to expand joint initiatives and deepen collaboration at multilateral forums.
In her meeting with Anton Leis Garcia, Director of the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation, Dr. Al-Mashat emphasized the alignment of Egyptian-Spanish cooperation with broader efforts to reform the global financial system. She noted Egypt’s drive to unlock greater investment by strengthening public-private partnerships, especially in green and digital sectors.
The Japanese partnership also took center stage in a discussion with Hisashi Matsumoto, Japan’s Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs. Egypt and Japan have recently strengthened bilateral ties through development policy financing, cultural cooperation, and projects such as the Egyptian-Japanese schools and university. Their discussions underscored the mutual ambition to expand Japanese private sector investment in Egypt, enhance human capital, and further support Egypt’s universal health insurance initiative.
On the Korean front, Dr. Al-Mashat met with Ko Yun Kihwan, Deputy Minister for Multilateral and Global Affairs, to reaffirm Egypt’s strategic partnership with South Korea, which was elevated in 2022 when Egypt became Korea’s priority development partner through 2025. The officials discussed expanding cooperation in technology, innovation, and infrastructure as part of a broader commitment to sustainable development and knowledge transfer.
Portugal’s role in Egypt’s development agenda was also highlighted during Al-Mashat’s meeting with Ana Isabel Xavier, Portugal’s Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and Development Cooperation. Discussions focused on broadening investment in high-priority sectors such as renewable energy, manufacturing, and ICT. Both sides addressed the broader challenges facing multilateral development cooperation and underscored the urgent need for a reformed global financial system that provides greater fiscal space for developing countries.
In a key meeting with Cindy Hensley McCain, Executive Director of the World Food Programme, Dr. Al-Mashat reaffirmed Egypt’s commitment to food security and sustainable agriculture, highlighting the WFP’s country strategy for Egypt (2023–2028). The two reviewed joint initiatives under the NWFE program that integrate climate resilience with agricultural development. McCain also expressed interest in expanding the WFP’s role in Egypt’s debt-swap programs, which have already funded several impactful social and rural development projects.
In her discussions with OECD Deputy Secretary-General Mary Beth Goodman, Dr. Al-Mashat reviewed the implementation of Egypt’s country program with the OECD. The collaboration spans five critical policy pillars: inclusive growth, innovation, good governance, data and statistics, and sustainable development—each aligned with Egypt’s Vision 2030 and its structural reform agenda. The meeting also celebrated the launch of the 2025 Africa Development Dynamics Report, a collaborative effort with the African Union and international partners, aimed at offering data-driven insights into Africa’s economic trajectory.
Continuing her global engagement, Dr. Al-Mashat met with Alvaro Lario, President of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), to discuss strengthening Egypt’s rural development strategy and IFAD’s role in food-related investments through NWFE. She emphasized the centrality of climate-smart agriculture and international collaboration in meeting Egypt’s food security and development goals.
The final engagement featured a dialogue with Cecilia Ugaz Estrada, Director of Gender Equality at the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO). Dr. Al-Mashat reiterated the value of Egypt’s cooperation with UNIDO in supporting green industry, MSME development, and skills enhancement. She praised the strategic role UNIDO plays in promoting economic diversification and competitiveness in Egypt’s industrial sector.
Throughout her South Africa visit, Dr. Rania Al-Mashat made a compelling case for rethinking the global approach to financing sustainable development. By advancing integrated, inclusive, and climate-aligned policies, Egypt is positioning itself as a regional model for economic resilience, international cooperation, and strategic foresight in the 21st century.
