Cairo: Minister of Investment and Foreign Trade Mohamed Farid Saleh met with CEO of the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise Development Agency (MSMEDA) Basel Rahmy to discuss strengthening support mechanisms for entrepreneurship and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

According to State Information Service Egypt, the meeting focused on maximizing the impact of financing programs and non-financial services, enhancing institutional coordination, and accelerating the growth of productive and industrial projects. Officials emphasized the role of MSMEDA and the Egyptian Federation for Financing MSMEs as crucial in driving employment, productivity, and competitiveness within the Egyptian economy.

Discussions also covered enabling startups to benefit from the recently launched Startup Charter, expanding incentives under the MSME Development Law No. 152 of 2020, and supporting youth participation in industrial investment opportunities in line with the state's strategy to deepen local manufacturing and reduce imports.

The meeting further reviewed preparations for Cairo's hosting of the Egyptian-Saudi International Franchise Exhibition (FRANEX 2026) and progress on MSMEDA's new integrated digital platform, designed to connect entrepreneurs with financing, training, marketing, and technical support services.