Cairo: Minister of Planning and Economic Development Ahmed Rostom held talks with Afreximbank Executive Vice President Haytham El Maayergi on strengthening cooperation under the strategic partnership between Egypt and the African Export-Import Bank. The meeting, attended by key figures such as Amr El-Abd, Adviser to the Prime Minister for Entrepreneurship, and Heba Zaki, Director of the Egypt Entrepreneurship Center, focused on supporting startups and boosting regional trade.

According to State Information Service Egypt, Rostom emphasized the pivotal role of the partnership in promoting regional integration across Africa, supporting intra-African trade, and increasing investments in digital solutions and cross-border payment infrastructure. The government aims to deepen cooperation in areas related to entrepreneurship, small and medium-sized enterprises, and the expansion of Egyptian companies in African markets.

Rostom also highlighted ongoing coordination between Afreximbank and the Central Bank of Egypt, particularly noting the memorandum of understanding to establish a Gold Bank in Egypt as a model for strengthening the continent's economic capabilities. Discussions included implementing Egypt's national entrepreneurship framework, enhancing access to finance, and strengthening policy coordination.

The minister underscored the government's full support for the entrepreneurship ecosystem through the ministerial group for entrepreneurship and stressed the importance of identifying priority cooperation areas. Plans to establish a fund of funds for financing entrepreneurship and helping startups expand regionally and internationally were also discussed.

The talks addressed cooperation in venture capital investment, startup listings, and regional expansion facilitation through flexible regulatory and financial tools. Additionally, the potential for a dedicated fund for promising small and medium-sized enterprises in collaboration with NI Capital was reviewed.

The meeting concluded with discussions on enhancing cooperation between the Egypt Entrepreneurship Center and Afreximbank to support the center's programs and initiatives, preparing it for the anticipated expansion of innovation-support activities.