H.E. Dr. Rania A. Al-Mashat, Minister of Planning, Economic Development and International Cooperation, chaired the meeting of the Board of Directors of the Institute of National Planning.
The meeting focused on reviewing the institute's ongoing projects, approving the promotion plan, discussing the institute's budget for the fiscal year 2025/2026, and monitoring the implementation of the institute's strategic plan and executive program for the academic year 2024/2025, along with other related topics.
The meeting was attended by Dr. Ashraf El-Araby, President of the Institute of National Planning (INP), Dr. Ashraf Salah El-Din, Vice President of INP for Training & Consultations and Community Service, Dr. Hala Abou Ali, Professor and Head of the Economics Department at the Faculty of Economics and Political Science, Cairo University, General Khairat Barakat, President of Central Agency for Public Mobilization & Statistics, Mr. Yasser Sobhi, Deputy Minister of Finance, Dr. Maged Othman, Director of the Egyptian Center for Opinion Research - Former Minister of Communications and Information Technology, Dr. Amal Zakaria, Director of the Regional Development Center, Dr. Heba Magheeb, Director of the Center for Industrial Planning and Development, Dr. Khaled Zakaria, Director of the Center for Macro-Economic Policies, Dr. Magda Hassanein, Director of the Center for Social and Cultural Planning, Engineer Ibrahim Sarhan, Chairman of the iFinance Group for Financial and Digital Investments, and Mr. Tamer Taha, Advisor to the Minister of Planning and Economic Development and International Cooperation for Innovation, Entrepreneurship, and Head of the Private Sector Participation Unit.
H.E. Dr. Rania A. Al-Mashat, Minister of Planning and Economic Development and International Cooperation, commended the achievements and efforts made by the institute throughout the year, emphasizing its role as one of the most prominent national and regional think tanks. The institute plays a vital role in disseminating scientific journals, academic papers, and studies on various aspects of planning and sustainable development. H.E. Minister Al-Mashat confirmed that the coming period will witness increased utilization of the National Planning Institute’s contributions in line with the government's three-year program, Egypt Vision 2030, sectoral strategies, and the government's focus on key sectors that impact growth and employment rates, especially in light of regional and international changes.
During the meeting, Dr. Ashraf El-Araby, reviewed the progress of implementing the institute’s strategic plan for the period 2023/2024 to 2029/2030. He also discussed the efforts made to position the institute as a leading and influential think tank both nationally and regionally, and internationally distinguished, by offering competitive research, training, educational, consultative, and community services based on evidence, which enhance community capabilities and support effective policy-making and decision-making in planning and development fields.
Dr. El-Araby provided updates on the implementation of the institute’s activities for the academic year 2024/2025, focusing on interdisciplinary research conducted in collaboration with state institutions and international bodies. These included studies on urban development, local economic development in relation to spatial justice and global competitiveness, social protection systems in Egypt amidst contemporary challenges, and other research topics. Additionally, he highlighted the developments in the “Post-2025 Egypt Project: Long-term Development Vision” series of working papers, the scientific events program, the national and international periodic reports program, and collaborations with the institute's partners in designing training programs according to the needs of these entities.
The Board of Directors was also briefed on the progress of the graduate academic programs, including the discussion and approval of 12 theses during the first half of the current fiscal year. Furthermore, the board reviewed the executive status of the professional Master's programs in sustainable development planning for the academic year 2024/2025, as well as the measures taken by the institute to expand and diversify its competitive advisory services offered to government, private, non-governmental, and international entities.