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Ahmed Rostom, Minister of Planning and Economic Development, held talks with a World Bank mission led by Stéphane Guimbert, the Bank’s Regional Director for Egypt, Yemen, and Djibouti. The meeting was attended by senior ministry officials, alongside representatives from the Ministries of Finance, Foreign Affairs, and International Cooperation and Egyptian Expatriates.

The discussions focused on advancing joint cooperation within the framework of the longstanding strategic partnership between Egypt and the World Bank Group. They also reviewed progress on the Public Finance Review (PFR) report currently being prepared by the Bank in coordination with national ministries and relevant entities, in light of the ministry’s mandate to plan and manage public investments and direct resources towards economic and social development.

During the meeting, Rostom underscored the depth of Egypt’s relationship with the World Bank Group, describing it as a comprehensive model of development partnership. He highlighted the importance of the Public Finance Review as a key diagnostic tool, noting that it assesses the efficiency of government project selection and implementation, their alignment with national development priorities, their capacity to generate employment, and their contribution to sustainable growth.

Rostom reaffirmed the government’s commitment to leveraging such reports to support ongoing economic reform efforts in line with national priorities and Egypt Vision 2030. He added that the review emphasizes the need to strengthen governance across the entire project cycle – from planning and pre-assessment to implementation, monitoring and impact evaluation – as well as to enhance integration between investment plans and the state budget. This, he noted, would help ensure that resources are directed towards high-impact projects that deliver tangible improvements in citizens’ lives.

He also stressed the importance of ensuring that the report’s recommendations take into account the global and regional challenges facing Egypt, as well as their social and economic implications.

The meeting further addressed support for government efforts to improve investment management efficiency, particularly as authorities work to develop innovative financing mechanisms to ease pressure on the state budget. Discussions also highlighted the need to establish unified digital systems for project management and monitoring, improve the geographical distribution of investments, and strengthen transparency and data-driven decision-making.

At the conclusion of the meeting, both sides agreed to maintain close coordination and hold joint technical workshops to shape future cooperation mechanisms. These efforts will focus on enhancing public investment efficiency and advancing innovative financing tools, particularly in infrastructure, economic empowerment, and entrepreneurship initiatives.

Source: Daily News Egypt