“Al-Mashat”: The World Economic Forum is a global platform to discuss international issues and common challenges.

We look forward to integration and knowledge exchange on policy innovation to accelerate growth and empower the private sector.

H.E. Dr. Rania Al-Mashat, Minister of Planning, Economic Development, and International Cooperation, participated in the opening press conference of the 16th Annual Meeting of the New Champions 2025 in China, which discusses resilient economic policies to cope with global changes.

In her speech at the press conference, H.E. Dr. Rania Al-Mashat affirmed that the World Economic Forum is a leading international platform that brings together policymakers, the private sector, and entrepreneurs to address global issues and common challenges, noting that the discussions held at the forum highlight key issues that contribute to accelerating growth, particularly issues related to gender, digital transformation, and climate action.

H.E. pointed out the importance of the conference's activities in accelerating economic growth through innovation-based policies, empowering entrepreneurs, supporting the digital transformation environment, and reshaping international economic relations in light of geopolitical changes and their repercussions on global trade and investment pathways.

The Minister added: “Entrepreneurship is a pivotal factor in enhancing growth not only through technology, but also through innovative policies that establish a resilient framework capable of withstanding recurring global shocks. The discussion on digital transformation, climate, and gender is not in a vacuum, these topics are accelerating and stimulating factors for boosting investment in the private sector and driving economic growth.”

Regarding the recently released Gender Gap Report, H.E. Dr. Rania Al-Mashat explained that the figures represent the urgent  importance of enhancing inclusiveness and equality, adding that the more inclusive economies are, the more they can progress, and one of the main challenges currently facing the global economy is the slowdown in growth, which can be accelerated by achieving gender parity, to drive the engines of growth and productivity forward.

H.E. also pointed out that increasing women's representation in the labor market directly contributes to enhancing productivity, and that empowering women in leadership positions, despite full equality has not yet been achieved, is an important step toward improving indicators that have stagnated or declined in recent years.

Regarding entrepreneurship and finance, the Minister emphasized the importance of focusing on supporting women entrepreneurs globally, especially in terms of access to finance, as it is one of the most prominent challenges facing women-led startups.

Al-Mashat reaffirmed the importance of the discussions to be held in the current meetings, stating: “We look forward to fruitful dialogues and the exchange of perspectives on how to turn challenges into opportunities and mitigate risks at both the global and national levels through the adoption of more inclusive and innovative policies.”