H.E.Dr. Rania A. Al-Mashat, Minister of Planning, Economic Development, and International Cooperation, during her participation in the High-Level Roundtable on Population and Human Capital Development in Egypt

 

H.E.Dr. Rania A. Al-Mashat, Minister of Planning, Economic Development, and International Cooperation, during her participation in the High-Level Roundtable on Population and Human Capital Development in Egypt:

 

Economic development cannot be achieved without human development.

The investment portfolio for the human and social development sector includes 3,252 projects with investments totaling EGP 118 billion for 2024/2025.

Human and social development accounts for 42% of government investments.

The majority of investments in the human development sector are directed towards education and health.

Achieving integration between domestic investments, financing, and technical support from international partners to advance human development efforts.

The development financing portfolio comprises 105 projects in various human development sectors, valued at $7 billion.

The government operates within an integrated framework to increase growth and enhance macroeconomic stability amidst regional and global tensions.

The health and education sectors experienced a growth rate of 5.6% during the past fiscal year.

Human development has been integrated as a key focus within strategies with international partners.

The “Takaful wa Karama” program, in collaboration with the World Bank, has become a model for cash transfer programs supporting low-income families.

 

H.E. Dr. Rania A. Al-Mashat, Minister of Planning, Economic Development, and International Cooperation, participated in the high-level roundtable on Population and Human Capital Development in Egypt, held during the Global Conference on Health, Population, and Human Development, under the patronage of His Excellency President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, President of the Arab Republic of Egypt. The event included the participation of Dr. Khaled Abdel Ghaffar, Deputy Prime Minister for Human Development and Minister of Health and Population; Dr. Ashraf Sobhy, Minister of Youth and Sports; Counselor Adnan Fangari, Minister of Justice; Mr. Mohamed Abdel-Latif, Minister of Education and Technical Education; Mr. Ahmed Hanno, Minister of Culture; Dr. Samira Al-Tewigri, Senior Population and Development Expert at the World Bank; Dr. Abla El-Alfy, Deputy Minister of Health and Population; Major General Khairat Barakat, Head of the Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics; along with other government representatives and development partners.

 

In H.E.’s video speech, Minister Al-Mashat emphasized the importance of the conference, which coincides with the government's formulation of a new vision prioritizing human development, particularly given the interconnectedness between human and economic development. In this context, the presidential initiative "Bidaya" represents a new beginning in the government's efforts to increase investment in human capital and achieve genuine human development through various initiatives and efforts from different ministries.

 

H.E. Dr. Al-Mashat noted that the government places significant priority on this vital sector. Accordingly, the Ministry of Planning, Economic Development, and International Cooperation is working to secure funding, both locally and through external financing, to support the human development sector. A total of EGP 118 billion has been allocated from the budget for the human development sector in the 2024/2025 fiscal plan. Regarding external financing, the portfolio for international cooperation to support human development amounts to approximately $7 billion, through concessional financing, technical support, grants, and debt swaps.

 

H.E. Minister Rania Al-Mashat highlighted that the ministry prioritizes human development in its collaboration with international partners during the formulation and preparation of country strategies for cooperation between Egypt and development partners, such as the United Nations, the World Bank Group, the European Union, the United States, China, and other bilateral and multilateral partners, affirming that economic development can only be achieved by enhancing human development.

 

H.E. Dr. Al-Mashat announced plans to launch a national multidimensional poverty index to guide strategies aimed at reducing poverty rates, strengthening national capacities regarding multidimensional poverty data, and ensuring the issuance of high-accuracy quantitative and qualitative indicators, to integrate with efforts for voluntary national reviews related to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

 

H.E. Minister Al-Mashat reaffirmed the Ministry's commitment to strengthening partnerships with development partners and leveraging each partner’s comparative advantage in key human development areas (education, health, social protection, suitable work). Consequently, several developmental programs in the field of human development have been launched, which development partners consider pioneering. Additionally, the ministry is utilizing diagnostic reports prepared by development partners to provide evidence-based policies and indicators to enhance innovative solutions for achieving development.

 

H.E. Minister Al-Mashat referred to the "Takaful wa Karama" program, funded by the World Bank, successfully implemented over nine years with concessional funding totaling 1.4 billion dollars, benefiting 20 million Egyptian citizens from the cash assistance provided under the program, making it a model for cash transfer programs that should be replicated in developing countries worldwide.

 

H.E. Dr. Al-Mashat also addressed the Comprehensive Health Insurance Program, which is supported by several development partners, including the World Bank, the Japanese side, and the French Development Agency, to improve the quality of health services provided to citizens, with 6 million beneficiaries enrolled in this important national program. Additionally, H.E. mentioned joint programs with the United States Agency for International Development to enhance family planning programs, as well as collaboration with the European Union on the national population strategy aimed at reducing population growth rates, given the demographic challenges facing development and economic reform processes, alongside facilitating inclusive economic growth in Egypt.

 

H.E. Minister Rania Al-Mashat emphasized that the education sector holds significant importance in the programs implemented by the ministry in collaboration with development partners. This includes the establishment of 15 schools for outstanding students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) across 11 governorates, with 18 partnerships established between the public and private sectors to support this school network. Additionally, approximately 200 Japanese schools have been implemented nationwide across 26 governorates.

 

H.E. Dr. Al-Mashat discussed the Ministry's role in coordinating various visions to meet priority needs across different development sectors, closing developmental gaps, and enhancing partnerships between the public and private sectors.

 

H.E. Minister Al-Mashat also pointed out the national project for developing the Egyptian family, which encompasses multiple aspects, including economic empowerment, service provision, cultural, educational, and awareness initiatives, digital transformation, monitoring and evaluation, as well as legislative frameworks. The demographic aspect is one of the project's key targets. H.E. emphasized that the ministry, especially following the integration of the ministries of planning, economic development, and international cooperation, plays a pivotal role in supporting the project through economic and social development programs, implementing the funding equation across the governorates.

 

Moreover, the ministry, in its role of implementing and monitoring the economic and social development plan, ensures equitable distribution of investments across various sectors, including the demographic aspect, which is one of the most significant determinants of public investment distribution to address developmental gaps.

 

During the session, members of the ministerial group for human development witnessed the signing of a protocol between the Ministries of Health and Population, Higher Education and Scientific Research, and the National Population Council to address the shortage of doctors in health units by utilizing medical teams from university hospitals and providing necessary training for doctors, particularly in the field of obstetrics.