Minister of Planning, Economic Development, and International Cooperation Honors the IFAD Country Director at the End of His Tenure in Egypt and Welcomes the New Country Director

Dr. Rania Al-Mashat emphasizes the strategic partnership with IFAD and joint efforts to promote agricultural and rural development.

 Al-Mashat commends the efforts of Dr. Mohamed Abdel Qader, former IFAD Country Director, in expanding the scope of joint relations.

 Abdel Qader: Our partnership with the government through the “NWFE” Program is a source of pride and gives us strong momentum to continue joint work to boost food security and rural development efforts.

H.E. Dr. Rania Al-Mashat, Minister of Planning, Economic Development, and International Cooperation, received Dr. Mohamed Abdel Qader, Country Director of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), on the occasion of the end of his tenure in Egypt. She also received Mr. Vrej Jijyan, the newly appointed IFAD Country Director for Egypt.

During the meeting, H.E. Dr. Al-Mashat expressed her deep appreciation for the efforts of Dr. Mohamed Abdel Qader throughout his five-year tenure as Head of IFAD’s Country Office in Cairo. The Minister also lauded his pivotal role in supporting joint cooperation and enhancing rural development, particularly through his effective contribution to the Food Pillar of the “NWFE” Program. She also praised his continued support for the design and negotiation of projects under the food pillar, in line with the state’s priorities to achieve food security.

H.E. Dr. Rania Al-Mashat also welcomed Mr. Vrej Jijyan in his new position, and looked forward to building a productive partnership in the coming phase and to deepening cooperation with IFAD in light of Egypt’s priorities, especially in the areas of agricultural development, economic empowerment in rural areas, and achieving inclusive and sustainable growth.

The meeting further discussed the future of joint relations between Egypt and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD). H.E. Dr. Rania Al-Mashat noted that following the merger of the Ministries of Planning and Economic Development and International Cooperation, the process of monitoring the implementation of grants and development financing has become more effective and aligned with the development plan. The Minister reaffirmed the importance of maximizing the effectiveness of utilizing development grants to deliver direct benefits to citizens.

H.E. Dr. Al-Mashat also commended the Ministry’s visit to Aswan to follow up on the implementation of the Sustainable Agricultural Investments Project (SAIL), which is co-financed by IFAD and implemented by the Ministry of Agriculture and Land Reclamation. She explained that the project includes effective and substantial interventions that have positively impacted the lives of smallholder farmers, rural women heads of households, and other groups across several governorates.

The meeting also touched on the latest developments in joint cooperation, foremost among them the CROWN project under the “NWFE” Program. Both sides reviewed the future of cooperation in light of “Egypt’s Narrative for Comprehensive Development”, recently launched by the government.

The Minister of Planning, Economic Development, and International Cooperation emphasized that the partnership with IFAD spans more than four decades and has contributed to the implementation of development projects benefiting around 1.3 million citizens. She underscored the importance of continuing joint efforts to support rural development, enhance food security, and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals in Egypt.

For his part, Dr. Mohamed Abdel Qader expressed his gratitude to the Minister of Planning, Economic Development, and International Cooperation for the fruitful cooperation over the past years and the continuous follow-up to foster the effectiveness of the partnership between the two sides. He noted that the Country Platform of the “NWFE” Program represented a strong boost to cooperation between the government and IFAD, and that it was a great source of pride and honor for the Fund to be selected as a key development partner under the food pillar.

For his part, Mr. Vrej Jijyan stated, “It is a great honor to be in Egypt, following Dr. Mohamed Abdel Qader as IFAD Country Director,”. He added that the Fund will work closely with the Ministry of Planning, Economic Development, and International Cooperation and the Egyptian government to move forward in expanding the partnership and strengthening agricultural and rural development efforts.

At the conclusion of the meeting, H.E. Dr. Rania Al-Mashat honored Dr. Mohamed Abdel Qader, wishing him success in the next phase and expressing her appreciation for the continued coordination and joint work in implementing various projects.