During the Opening Session of the Third Edition of the Global Congress on Population, Health and Human Development, in the Presence of the Prime Minister.

During the Opening Session of the Third Edition of the Global Congress on Population, Health and Human Development, in the Presence of the Prime Minister..

The Minister of Planning, Economic Development and International Cooperation:

 Human development is a main driver of economic development.

 Human capital is one of the most important assets that the Egyptian state possesses.

 EGP 7.6 trillion in direct and indirect public investments for human development over 12 years.

Human development investments increased from 17% to 28% of total public investments.

Enhancing international partnerships through economic diplomacy to achieve human development goals.

 $9.5 billion in funding and grants for human development and related sectors since 2014.

 70% of the investments in the Presidential Initiative "Decent Life" (Hayah Karima) are directed toward human development sectors.

We are moving toward an economic model based on productivity, a knowledge economy, and innovation.

Applying the Program and Performance Budgeting methodology to improve resource efficiency and strengthen human development efforts.

 Achieving fiscal discipline to create additional fiscal space for spending on health, education, and social protection.

Observing spatial justice and fair geographical distribution of public investments.

Incorporating the outcomes of the Global Congress on Health and Population into a special focus on human development within Egypt’s  Narrative according to the timeline.

Full cooperation among various ministries to improve human development indicators.

H.E. Dr. Rania Al-Mashat, Minister of Planning, Economic Development and International Cooperation, participated in the Ministerial Opening Session of the Global Congress on Population, Health and Human Development (PHDC) in its third edition, held under the patronage of H.E. President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and in the presence of H.E. Dr. Mostafa Madbouly, Prime Minister, H.E. Dr. Khaled Abdel Ghaffar – Deputy Prime Minister for Human Development, Minister of Health and Population, and a number of ministers, representatives of international organizations, and concerned entities.

In her speech, Dr. Rania Al-Mashat reaffirmed that the conference underscores the Egyptian state's commitment to moving forward with efforts to achieve human development by addressing population, health, and social challenges and investing in human capital to achieve a better future. It also confirms Egypt's continuous engagement with global population, health, and human development issues and its commitment to them, as well as its efforts at the local, regional, and international levels to maximize the benefits of the demographic dividend and human wealth, which we consider the true wealth of societies and nations.

Dr. Al-Mashat pointed out that "the citizen is the focus of development," as human capital is the most important component the Egyptian state possesses, and investing in people is one of the core pillars for achieving economic development and driving economic growth rates. She explained that Egypt's "General Framework for Comprehensive Development" includes a set of drivers aimed at achieving economic development, and the most important of these drivers is "Human Development." There is no "economic development" without the achievement of "human development," as it is the basic guarantee for sustainable growth and development.

In connection with this, Minister Al-Mashat highlighted that the Egyptian state emphasizes the importance of achieving human development that is reflected in improving the quality of life for the citizen throughout all life stages, ensuring they enjoy good health, receive excellent education, possess future capabilities and skills, are culturally enlightened, have the elements of creativity and knowledge, enjoy security and safety, and have the ability to contribute effectively to development and the right to reap its fruits.

Dr. Al-Mashat added that based on this premise, the state is keen to provide the necessary public investments to advance human development, especially for the sectors of "Health, Education, Cultural, Youth, and Sports Services, and enhancing creative capabilities and skills," which directly affect the advancement of human capital. Furthermore, investments are directed to other service sectors such as "Decent Housing Services, providing potable water and sanitation, safe transport routes, and services related to developing digital skills," which indirectly affect human development. 

Minister Al-Mashat noted that the annual Economic and Social Development Plan, which is submitted to the House of Representatives and the Senate, includes all vital programs and projects related to human development, which are included while observing standards of efficiency and effectiveness to maximize developmental returns.

In this context, she pointed out that EGP 7.6 trillion in public investments (direct and indirect) were directed over the past 12 years (2014/2015 – 2025/2026). The percentage of public investments directed towards direct human development sectors increased from 17% of total public investments in (2014/2015) to 28% in (2025/2026).

Dr. Al-Mashat also addressed the coordination of efforts through economic diplomacy and international partnerships, which resulted in mobilizing about $9.5 billion in concessional international financing for areas related to human development since 2014, with 25% of this funding coming through grants. This ensures that international partnerships are leveraged in implementing these projects through the localization of best international practices, citing examples such as "social housing projects, Takaful and Karama (Solidarity and Dignity) cash transfer program, the Universal Health Insurance, and Community Education Schools, among others."

Dr. Al-Mashat mentioned that all the above has resulted in doubling the allocations for the health, education, and scientific research sectors, fulfilling constitutional entitlements, and working to improve the rates of "access, quality, and competitiveness" of human development services, with a focus on closing geographical development gaps, especially in Upper Egypt and border governorates. This has led to improvements in several human development indicators, including an increase in life expectancy at birth, an increase in the percentage of the population benefiting from health insurance services, as well as an increase in the number of Egyptian universities included in international rankings, an increase in the enrollment rate in pre-university and university education, and a notable decrease in illiteracy rates.

Dr. Al-Mashat emphasized that the state continues to achieve fiscal discipline in the general state budget, which contributes to creating additional fiscal space to increase spending directed toward human development, gradually restoring development spending levels toward the health and education sectors to meet human development requirements and achieve the desired return from investing in future generations, as human development is the compass that directs the state's investments and determines its priorities.

Dr. Al-Mashat also referred to the state's financing and implementation of pioneering projects in the fields of human development and social protection, the most important of which is the "Decent Life" (Hayah Karima) initiative, which benefits about 18 million citizens in its first phase alone, with an investment cost exceeding EGP 350 billion. This initiative will have a profound impact on reducing multidimensional poverty rates, especially given that 70% of those investments are directed toward building the human being in the areas of public health, educational, and sports services. Furthermore, 68% of the beneficiaries are residents of Upper Egypt governorates, which confirms the consideration of "spatial justice" in the distribution of state public investments.

Minister Al-Mashat noted that in the next phase, the state is moving forward toward adopting a new economic model based on productivity, which enhances private sector participation and relies on competitiveness, innovation, knowledge, and technology as fundamental pillars for sustainable growth through “Egypt’s Narrative for Economic Development." She clarified that this model focuses on stimulating investment in sectors most capable of creating decent job opportunities, increasing productivity, and exports, foremost among them being agriculture, tourism, ICT, and entrepreneurship. This trend aims to raise the real annual growth rate in per capita income to about 4.5%, which will positively reflect on improving the quality of life.

Dr. Al-Mashat also affirmed that the state gives priority to enhancing the entrepreneurship system as one of the main drivers of the new economy, by empowering youth, encouraging innovation and startups, providing a supportive legislative and funding environment, and linking it to training and capacity-building programs, which contributes to transforming innovative ideas into productive projects and sustainable job opportunities.

Dr. Rania Al-Mashat highlighted the development of planning tools and systems such as the "Masdar System," the "Integrated System for Preparing and Monitoring the Investment Plan," and the "Adaa (Performance) System," to enable periodic follow-up, monitoring development gaps, and improving the efficiency of public resource allocation. Through these, the periodic follow-up process is conducted, and in this regard, we emphasize that cooperation and coordination among all ministries and entities is the fundamental guarantee for improving human development indicators, which is the task the "Ministerial Group for Human Development" has been working on since its formation in July 2024.

Dr. Al-Mashat confirmed that Egypt’s Narrative for Economic Development, launched in September 2025, embodies this comprehensive approach toward productivity- and knowledge-based growth and includes all the mentioned pillars, including strengthening the role of the private sector, developing exports, empowering women and youth, and stimulating innovation and entrepreneurship, along with applying the Program and Performance methodology in preparing the executive plan. Since its launch, it has been stressed that the Global Congress on Population, Health and Human Development 2025 will serve as a platform for community dialogue on human development issues, so that its outcomes contribute to enriching the content of the Narrative and developing its second version. In this framework, the second version of Egypt’s Narrative for Economic Development includes a special chapter on Human Development that affirms the citizen as the focus of the development process to achieve inclusive and sustainable growth for the launch of the Egyptian economy and the improvement of the quality of life.