Dr. Rania Al-Mashat: The first meeting of the Joint Economic Committee between the two countries opens broader avenues for trade and investment partnerships.

H.E. Dr. Rania Al-Mashat, Minister of Planning, Economic Development, and International Cooperation, participated in the annual event of the Swiss Chamber of Commerce held under the theme: “Egypt and Switzerland: Timeless leadership: From the Peaks of the Alps to the Soul of the Nile” in the presence of Eng. Mohamed Shimy, Minister of Business Sector, Dr. Sameh El Hefny, Minister of Civil Aviation, Dr. Andreas Baum, Swiss Ambassador to Egypt, Mr. Amr Moussa, former Foreign Minister of the Arab Republic of Egypt and former Secretary General of the Arab League, Eng. Kamal Abdel Malek, President of the Swiss Chamber of Commerce in Egypt, and other public figures.

During her speech, H.E. Dr. Rania Al-Mashat pointed out the relations between Egypt and Switzerland, which enjoy a fruitful and dynamic partnership, represented by more than 110 years of trade relations and more than 40 years of development cooperation, noting that bilateral relations have expanded as Switzerland is an important partner in development and trade, to include sectors such as infrastructure, renewable energy, water management, private sector support, and digital transformation.

Within the framework of the Ministry of Planning, Economic Development and International Cooperation, Al-Mashat explained that the Joint Economic Committees form an effective platform to strengthen and develop relations between Egypt and its bilateral partners and to open investment opportunities, noting that the Arab Republic of Egypt, represented by the Ministry of Planning, Economic Development and International Cooperation, and the Swiss Confederation, represented by the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs, Education and Scientific Research (SECO), held the first meeting of the joint economic committee in Bern, after signing the agreement in Davos 2025.

H.E. stated that the first meeting of the Joint Committee represents a historic milestone in the long-standing and ongoing partnership between our two countries, based on mutual respect, common interests, and a unified vision for comprehensive and sustainable development. adding that the convening of the committee reflects the two countries' commitment to strengthen their economic, trade and investment relations, and to push them to broader horizons, explore new opportunities to access markets, and address challenges to advance bilateral economic relations.

Al-Mashat emphasized that at the core of Egypt's vision for development is a firm belief in the importance of empowering women, noting that the Egyptian government has adopted a proactive, data-driven approach to women's empowerment, based on national policy frameworks and supported by institutional commitment, particularly the National Strategy for the Empowerment of Egyptian Women 2030, which was approved by H.E. President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, President of the Arab Republic of Egypt.

H.E. also pointed out that according to the government's new work program 2024-2027, seven strategic goals have been identified to work on, with the seventh goal focusing exclusively on empowering women and promoting equal opportunities in all fields by emphasizing women's economic, political, and social empowerment, in addition to enhancing women's health and protecting them from violence, adding that the Women Empowerment and Financial Inclusion Initiative, developed in collaboration with international partners including UN Women and the World Bank, has facilitated access to capital for thousands of women entrepreneurs, especially in Upper Egypt and rural governorates.

Moreover, H.E. highlighted that the financial inclusion rate for women has almost doubled from 27% in 2016 to 56.5% in 2023,  providing new economic opportunities for women, explaining that studies show that closing the gender gap in financial inclusion could increase GDP by up to 30%, reflecting the significant economic potential of women's full participation in the economy.

H.E. concluded her speech by affirming that women's participation has become an economic necessity, calling for continued work towards a future where every woman in Egypt can contribute her skills, ideas, and leadership to building a prosperous and resilient economy, adding that with the ongoing support from international partners, such as Switzerland, we can achieve financial and economic inclusion and implement Egypt's developmental vision.