Central to the plan is a commitment to invest in job creation and prosperity, as well as recognizing the significant role that the private sector as an engine for economic growth, using a two-pronged approach that provides a labor force for employers looking for talent and opportunities for workers seeking to advance in the modern labor market. Minister of International Cooperation, Dr. Rania Al-Mashat, praised the strategic cooperation relations between Egypt and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and its contributions to financing several and diverse development projects in the last period, adding that Egypt was regarded as the largest country of operations last year, with a total investment of about 2.3 billion euros, 60% dedicated to the private sector. The Minister added that Egypt is looking forward to strengthening economic relations with the bank within the framework of its new strategy for 2021-2025, which is based on three main outcomes: supporting the transition to a green economy, enhancing environmental sustainability and reducing carbon emissions, as well as promoting equal opportunities for women and accelerating the pace of digital transformation. For her part, Heike Harmgart, Managing Director for the Southern and Eastern Mediterranean (SEMED), expressed that the bank is dedicated to support the national development priorities of Egypt, particularly in regards to directing more support to the private sector and investing in the green economy. She also praised the role played by the Ministry of International Cooperation in coordinating between the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and government agencies in Egypt to implement development projects; holding the first meeting to prepare the "Macroeconomic Diagnostic" report. The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development recently issued a report on the Egypt’s economy, indicating that Egypt is the only operating country in the region that will escape a recession and achieve positive growth by 2% in 2020, then 5% in 2021. The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development held its annual meetings last October, which were held virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with the participation of the Minister of International Cooperation as Egypt's governor at the bank, and during the meetings, the Bank's Board of Governors adopted the 2021-2025 strategy that seeks to increase the share of green financing to at least 50% of its total financing by 2025, in addition to strengthening the focus on the private sector by increasing its share in the bank’s investments to more than 75%. It is worth noting that Egypt is currently the largest country of operations for the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, with total investments of about 6.8 billion euros in 123 projects, of which the private sector acquires about 60%, while the portfolio of ongoing projects is about 4.6 billion euros. Egypt won the silver and bronze awards as a part of EBRD's Sustainability Awards that recognize achievements in five specific categories: sustainable energy, climate resilience, environmental and social best practice, environmental and social innovation, and gender and inclusion.