Cairo: Minister of Planning, Economic Development and International Cooperation Rania Al-Mashat discussed with a delegation from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) the progress made in implementing the country program. Discussions also covered Egypt's presidency of the MENA-OECD Initiative on Governance and Competitiveness for Development.
According to State Information Service Egypt, Mashat reviewed the prominent achievements made in cooperation with the organization, citing the release of OECD's first economic survey of Egypt, which included 60 recommendations, and the collaboration with the Central Bank of Egypt to prepare a national financial awareness strategy. She also discussed the progress of embracing artificial intelligence (AI) technologies in Egypt, which contributed to the updating of the national strategy for artificial intelligence, as well as the country's inclusion in the organization's digital transformation tool to support innovation.
Mashat also highlighted notable contributions to climate action, including Egypt's green growth policies, reviewing some reports on low-carbon hydrogen and transport network financing. The minister also touched on institutional and legislative reforms by boosting the capabilities of the National Institute for Governance and Sustainable Development, and prioritizing women's empowerment, which was demonstrated by Egypt's hosting of the Women's Empowerment Forum (WEEF) 2024 and the launch of the EU-OECD project to support women entrepreneurs.
The meeting also tackled future steps to complete ongoing OECD reviews, which covered agriculture and food, statistics, women's economic empowerment, value-added trade, innovation, education, business dynamics and productivity, infrastructure governance, investment frameworks, as well as the procurement framework for state-owned enterprises. Regarding Egypt's co-chairmanship of the MENA-OECD initiative, Mashat stated that Egypt will work to develop a clear roadmap outlining expected outcomes, institutional coordination mechanisms, and how to align the initiative's priorities with the national agenda.