During her first foreign visit following her appointment as Minister of Planning, Economic Development, and International Cooperation, H.E. Dr. Rania A. Al-Mashat is in Beijing, China for the second edition of the High-level Conference of the Forum on Global Action for Shared Development hosted by the Chinese International Development Cooperation Agency (CIDCA). The forum, scheduled from 11th to 13th July, gathers over 200 representatives from governments, decision-makers, and international institutions to discuss various issues, prominently including south-south cooperation among, innovation, and efforts to enhance collective cooperation for the implementation of the SDGs by 2030.
Al-Mashat is scheduled to engage in multiple activities during the forum, including a panel discussion on joint measures to promote sustainable development. Additionally, H.E. Dr. Rania Al-Mashat will deliver a keynote address at an event titled "Promoting Modernization in the Global South: New Pathways, New Visions." Furthermore, Dr. Al-Mashat will hold bilateral meetings with officials from Chinese institutions within the framework of the strategic partnership between the two countries.
It is noteworthy that Egyptian-Chinese relations have witnessed continuous momentum and development since 2014, marked by the signing of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Agreement between H.E. President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and the Chinese President. Since then, partnerships between the two countries have surged across all levels, particularly in economic areas. Coinciding with the tenth anniversary of elevated bilateral relations, H.E. President El-Sisi visited China in May last year.
Previously, H.E. Dr. Al-Mashat participated in the inaugural edition of the High-level Conference of the Forum on Global Action for Shared Development in 2023, where several joint agreements were signed, contributing to the development and growth of relations between the two countries. Notably, a Memorandum of Understanding on the Global Development Initiative (GDI) was signed, reinforcing Egyptian-Chinese partnership, including provisions for establishing a consultation mechanism at the administrative level and crafting an integrated strategy for development cooperation between Egypt and China over a period of 3-5 years, reflecting the strategic relations between the two countries. This strategy encompasses areas and projects to be implemented under the developmental cooperation program.
Additionally, Minister of Planning, Economic Development, and International Cooperation signed four cooperation documents with the President of the CIDCA facilitating Chinese grants for supplying equipment to the Ministry of Transport, establishing a vocational training center in the Suez Canal Economic Zone, and conducting a feasibility study for a Level Three Bio-safety Lab for the Ministry of Health.