Egypt’s Planning Minister Meets OECD Secretary-General to Strengthen Cooperation

H.E. Dr. Hala El Said, Minister of Planning and Economic Development, convened with Mr. Matthias Cormann, Secretary-General of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), to explore avenues for deepening collaboration. The meeting occurred during Dr. El Said's visit to Paris, where she participated in the unveiling of the "Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development" report on Egypt at the organization's headquarters. Ambassador Alaa Youssef, Egypt's Ambassador to France, also attended the meeting.

Dr. Hala El Said conveyed Egypt's gratitude for the longstanding cooperation with the OECD spanning over 15 years. She commended the organization's support in advancing Egypt's economic reform program and refining public policies. Dr. El Said emphasized Egypt's commitment to leveraging the report's insights through a collaborative approach involving the government, private sector, and civil society. To facilitate this, Egypt plans to establish a committee chaired by the Ministry of Planning to deliberate on implementing the organization's recommendations into effective policies aimed at bolstering Egypt's economic performance across various sectors.

During the discussion, the Minister of Planning outlined Egypt's recent economic reforms aimed at empowering the private sector, gradually reducing state intervention in economic affairs, and fostering investment attraction.

Dr. Hala El Said underscored Egypt's dedication to shielding vulnerable segments of the population from external shocks, highlighting the array of social protection initiatives launched by the country.

The Minister expressed eagerness to deepen engagement with the OECD, particularly concerning Africa, amidst Egypt's chairmanship of the Steering Committee of the Nile Basin Initiative and its active involvement in African-focused forums.

Mr. Matthias Cormann affirmed that Egypt's participation in the organization's ministerial meeting underscores its commitment to various mechanisms within the OECD. He praised the sustained collaboration between Egypt and the OECD since the inception of the cooperation program in 2021. Cormann lauded Egypt's perseverance in the economic reform agenda, noting the positive momentum reflected in the report on Egypt's economic performance.

Cormann anticipated that the report's recommendations would address Egypt's diverse economic challenges effectively.

The Secretary-General highlighted the OECD's anticipation of Egypt joining the Inclusive Framework on Carbon Markets (IFCMA), aligning with Egypt's commitment to supporting the green economy. The forum aims to assist countries in emissions reduction efforts and facilitate information exchange.