Minister of Planning, Economic Development and International Cooperation Discusses Boosting Joint Relations with UNIDO and CDP

H.E. Dr. Rania Al-Mashat, Minister of Planning, Economic Development and International Cooperation, held a meeting with Diana Battaggia, Head of the Investment and Technology Promotion Office (ITPO) at United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) in Italy, and Paolo Lombardo, Director of International Development Cooperation at the Italian Cassa Depositi e Prestiti (CdP), Italy’s National Promotional Institution. The meeting was attended by Ambassador Bassam Rady, Egypt's Ambassador to Italy.

 

The discussions aimed at strengthening joint relations. This took place during her participation in the 2025 World Food Forum (WFF) events, organized by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) at its headquarters in the Italian capital, Rome.

 

Dr. Rania Al-Mashat discussed with the Italian side the developments in joint relations and the importance of partnership with Italian financing institutions, which opens the door for the Egyptian private sector to access more concessional financing, in order to achieve economic development.

 

Dr. Al-Mashat emphasized the importance of engaging the private sector as a core pillar in development strategies. Therefore, the Ministry is working to advance joint relations with development partners to provide more innovative financing mechanisms, which have reached over $15.6 billion since 2020.

 

Dr. Al-Mashat also referred to the "HAFIZ" (Hub for Advisory, Finance, and Investment for Enterprises) launched by the Ministry to provide consulting, financing, and investment services to institutions, which now offers over 90 financing and technical services to local and foreign private sectors.

Dr. Al-Mashat mentioned the guarantees mechanism of the European Fund for Sustainable Development Plus (EFSD+), recently launched with a value of €1.8 billion, which aims to stimulate sustainable investments in partner countries like Egypt.

 

The Minister of Planning, Economic Development and International Cooperation reviewed “ Egypt’s Narrative for Economic Development”, which is a comprehensive framework that achieves integration between the government's action program and Egypt's Vision 2030, in light of the rapid regional and international changes. The goal is to transition towards an economic model based on consolidating macroeconomic stability and focusing more on sectors with higher productivity and greater export capacity, building on the advanced infrastructure supporting industrialization and export that has been achieved, and redefining the state's role in the economy to enhance the competitiveness of the Egyptian economy and stimulate private sector participation, continuing the path of economic reform.

 

It is worth noting that CdP Institute was established in 1850 and is supervised by the Italian Ministry of Economy and Finance. It focuses on financing infrastructure, supporting exports, long-term investments, and managing funds such as the Italian Climate Fund (ICF) and the Africa Fund (Plafond Africa). It is also a key partner in European Union programs such as EFSD+, TERRA, and RISE. CdP has a pivotal role in managing development aid and joint investments in strategic sectors. Its overall goal is to support both the public and private sectors by promoting green and sustainable initiatives in partner countries.

 

UNIDO

 

The Minister of Planning, Economic Development and International Cooperation met with Diana Battaggia, Head of the ITPO at UNIDO Italy, and Dino Fortunato, Chief Technical Advisor of ITPO, UNIDO. The two sides discussed the importance of investing in technical education and vocational training, as a fundamental pillar for raising the efficiency of the workforce and boosting the competitiveness of Egyptian exports.

 

The meeting also addressed current activities implemented in Egypt in cooperation with UNIDO, particularly initiatives aimed at improving the quality of Egyptian cotton, as a key component in the textile industry, which represents one of the most important inputs for the global clothing industry.

 

Minister Al-Mashat reviewed the efforts implemented by the state to foster competitiveness, especially in the industrial sector, which was reflected in the contribution of manufacturing industries to the growth structure during 2024/2025, in addition to the state's pursuit of transitioning to higher-productivity sectors through the Egypt’s Narrative for Economic Development, which includes integrated policies among industry, investment, and trade to push efforts to encourage local products, localize technology, and promote industry.

 

The meeting explored providing all forms of support to the private sector through financing opportunities and technical support for the localization of various industries.

 

UNIDO officials confirmed that they will visit Egypt next November to explore the government's efforts in developing the industrial sector and improving the investment climate.