H.E. Dr. Rania A. Al-Mashat, Minister of Planning, Economic Development and International Cooperation, met with Dr. Wessam El-Beih, Regional Director for Middle East and North Africa at the International Development Research Center (IDRC), to explore areas of joint cooperation within the framework of the country’s development priorities.
During the meeting, the Minister of Planning, Economic Development and International Cooperation reviewed the Ministry's efforts to achieve sustainable economic growth, through the design of a comprehensive economic development strategy, based on data-driven and evidence-based policy, to address development gaps in various sectors, and mobilize domestic and foreign financing to achieve sustainable development through an integrated national financing strategy that enhances the allocation of resources to priority sectors, stimulates private sector investments, and accelerates the progress towards achieving development goals.
H.E. explained that the Ministry is working within the framework of the government's efforts to strengthen the resilience and stability of the macroeconomy, implement structural reforms to increase competitiveness, improve the business environment, support the flexibility of macro-financial policies, and move towards a green economy, emphasizing the importance of the role played by research centers in analytical studies, transferring the best international experiences in the field of development, and achieving qualitative growth.
Al-Mashat further pointed out the government’s priorities for building a competitive economy that attracts investments, by focusing on industrial development and industry localization, in addition to expanding human development efforts to achieve a direct impact on citizens, as well as focusing on entrepreneurship through a specialized ministerial group.
For her part, the Regional Director of the International Development Research Center (IDRC) reviewed their role in funding research and innovation to drive global development, investing in high-quality research for development, and sharing knowledge with policymakers to increase its uptake and use, to build a more sustainable and inclusive world, explaining that the center works on preparing applicable research and has a multi-development focus through a large portfolio of projects, such as health, food security, climate action, education and scientific research, comprehensive governance, and comprehensive economic development.
She clarified that the center's headquarters is located in Canada, and it has 5 regional offices in Uruguay, Kenya, Senegal, Jordan, and India, noting the center's interest in expanding its projects in Egypt and enhancing joint efforts to advance development through various research fields, capacity building, skills development, and building on the current cooperation portfolio that includes 11 projects, including 4 projects with partners inside Egypt, and other regional projects in which Egypt participates with other countries.