Dr. Rania Al-Mashat:
• Through the Joint Economic Committee and the New Cooperation Program, we are working to strengthen economic ties and pave the way for increased investments and trade exchange.
• The New Program reinforces Egyptian-Swiss relations in the fields of migration, green economic development, and improved governance.
• The Swiss delegation congratulates the Egyptian government on the inauguration of the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM).
The Swiss Ambassador:
• The New Cooperation Program builds on decades of joint work to foster green growth and achieve a more inclusive future.
Director-General of the Swiss Agency for Development:
• The New Program aligns with the direction of Switzerland's Strategy for International Cooperation.
H.E. Dr. Rania Al-Mashat, Minister of Planning, Economic Development, and International Cooperation, and H.E. Ambassador Patricia Danzi, Director General of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), witnessed the launch of the Joint Cooperation Program between the two countries for the period 2025-2028.
The event was held at the Ministry's headquarters in the New Administrative Capital and attended by H.E. Ambassador Andreas Baum, Ambassador of Switzerland to Egypt, H.E. Ambassador Pietro Lazzari, Head of the Economic Cooperation and Development Division at the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO), and officials from both sides.
The new Swiss Cooperation Program in Egypt for the period 2025-2028, which is the fourth program in the history of relations between the two sides since 2012, comes within the framework of continuous efforts to develop Egyptian-Swiss relations to achieve comprehensive and sustainable development, and advance partnership in areas of mutual interest. This is especially true given the ongoing momentum in relations, embodied by the signing of the Joint Economic Committee agreement and the convening of its first technical session in May 2025, which constitutes an important milestone for strengthening economic cooperation and building upon existing relations.
The Swiss Cooperation Program 2025-2028 represents a new chapter in a partnership that spans over 45 years between Switzerland and Egypt. The program, valued at 60 million Swiss Francs, is implemented by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO), and the Swiss State Secretariat for Migration (SEM), supporting joint relations between the two countries through three main pillars: Migration, Green Economic Development, and Improved Governance—based on an established relationship that achieves sustainable impact for both countries.
For her part, Dr. Rania Al-Mashat, Minister of Planning, Economic Development, and International Cooperation, welcomed the Swiss delegation, emphasizing the Egyptian state's keenness to transition Egyptian-Swiss relations to broader prospects and diversify them in a way that reflects on development efforts in both countries, in addition to supporting national priorities, especially in the areas of private sector empowerment, opening the door for Swiss companies to inject more investments into the local market, localizing industry, and increasing commercial ties.
Dr. Al-Mashat pointed out that the Egyptian government will work through the Joint Cooperation Program as well as the Economic Committee between the two countries to strengthen economic ties through the continuation of high-level dialogue between officials from both sides, as well as the private sector. She reaffirmed that Egypt has implemented tangible economic and structural reform steps recently, which have been reflected in the improvement of the investment climate and business environment, enabling various companies to seize opportunities and deepen relations between the private sectors of both countries.
Dr. Al-Mashat highlighted the launch of Egypt’s Narrative for Economic Development, through which the government seeks to complete the path of economic reform and enhance the transformation in the structure of the Egyptian economy towards sectors with higher productivity. She noted that the Egyptian economy is achieving development in its various indicators. This was reflected in the growth rates achieved in the last fiscal year at 4.4%, and the increased contribution of the private sector to development as a result of the governance of public investments.
In the same context, the Swiss delegation congratulated the Egyptian government on the inauguration of the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM), which was attended by H.E. President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi. Ambassador Andreas Baum, Ambassador of Switzerland to Egypt, further stated: "Switzerland and Egypt have built a partnership based on trust, shared values, and mutual respect. With this new cooperation program, we are not starting from scratch—we are building on decades of joint work to protect lives, foster green growth, and strengthen good governance towards a more inclusive and sustainable future."
Ambassador Patricia Danzi, Director General of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), commented: "The new cooperation program with Egypt aligns with the direction of Switzerland's Strategy for International Cooperation 2025-2028, which takes into account the needs of local populations, Swiss value-added—expertise, innovation, experience—as well as long-term Swiss interests—peace, democracy, security. Switzerland's 2025-2028 strategy gives greater focus to humanitarian aid, migration, democracy, the private sector, and climate change."
Meanwhile, Ambassador Pietro Lazzari, Head of the Economic Cooperation and Development Division at the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO), stated that Egypt is also a key partner in Swiss economic cooperation. In a challenging global environment, the Swiss-Egyptian Cooperation Program embodies our firm commitment to supporting sustainable and green economic development in Egypt and contributing to the prosperity and stability of the country and its people.
In the same context, both sides discussed joint efforts to enhance South-South cooperation, triangular cooperation, and the evolution of Egyptian-European relations, which recently witnessed the convening of the first-ever summit of its kind in Brussels, in addition to strengthening relations with the private sector through the European Investment Guarantees mechanism worth €1.8 billion, and efforts to mobilize concessional financing for the Egyptian private sector, which has reached approximately $16 billion since 2020.
It is worth noting that the Ministry of Planning, Economic Development, and International Cooperation works to develop and strengthen economic cooperation relations with bilateral and multilateral development partners. During the Davos Forum events in Switzerland in January 2025, Dr. Mostafa Madbouly, Prime Minister, witnessed the signing of the Egyptian-Swiss Joint Economic Committee agreement, through which the two countries work to enhance trade exchange, facilitate company investments in both countries, explore new opportunities for market access, and address challenges to boost bilateral economic relations.