H.E. Dr. Rania A. Al-Mashat, Minister of Planning, Economic Development, and International Cooperation, emphasized the attention given by H.E. President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi to the issue of financing for development and H.E.’s continuous and relentless efforts to enhance the ability of developing countries to access concessional development financing, particularly climate financing, in addition to promoting South-South cooperation.

This came in the speech delivered by the Minister of Planning, Economic Development, and International Cooperation during the high-level event organized by the Ministry under the patronage and presence of H.E. Dr. Mustafa Madbouly, Prime Minister, for the launch of Egypt’s Integrated National Financing Strategy (E-INFS). The event was attended by Dr. Khaled Abdel Ghaffar, Deputy Prime Minister for Human Development and Minister of Health and Population, Ms. Elena Panova, UN Resident Coordinator in Egypt, Mr. Alessandro Fracassetti, UNDP Resident Coordinator, as well as a number of ministers, ambassadors, and representatives from local, regional, and international organizations and bodies.

H.E. Dr. Rania Al-Mashat stated, “We are meeting today for the second time during the blessed month of Ramadan. Last week, we met to launch the second progress report on the NWFE Program, and today we gather again to launch ‘Egypt’s Integrated National Financing Strategy,' the first of its kind for financing in Egypt. This is part of the 'Financing the Sustainable Development Goals in Egypt' project, in collaboration with the UN Resident Coordinator's office in Cairo, and supported by the UN Joint Fund for the SDGs.”

H.E. Minister Al-Mashat added that these efforts have yielded positive results that enhance Egypt’s regional and international leadership. Among the notable successes are the extension of President El-Sisi’s presidency of the NEPAD Steering Committee until 2026, acknowledging the achievements made during his presidency since 2023, where Egypt played a key role in implementing continental development projects and mobilizing the necessary financing for them. Additionally, Egypt's accession to the BRICS group in 2024 and hosting the first international forum of the New Development Bank were highlighted.

The Minister of Planning, Economic Development, and International Cooperation expressed her gratitude to Prime Minister Dr. Mustafa Madbouly for his honor and patronage of the event, reflecting his commitment to enhancing financing efforts for development and his ongoing support for the Ministry's efforts, as well as the government’s support in general.

H.E. Dr. Al-Mashat affirmed that the importance of the “E-INFS” lies in its provision of a comprehensive national framework for financing aimed at promoting sustainable development in line with the national sustainable development agenda: Egypt Vision 2030. This is achieved by focusing on mobilizing sustainable financing to close the financing gap, reduce financial risks, and prevent future debt burdens, ensuring equitable and sustainable financing.

H.E. Minister Al-Mashat noted that the E-INFS highlights actions aimed at bridging the financing gap, increasing financial flows to key sectors, strengthening innovative financing mechanisms, encouraging private sector participation in sustainable development, and pushing for a comprehensive government approach to implementing the necessary policies and initiatives to execute the strategy and track progress.

H.E. Dr. Al-Mashat pointed out that this year marks a pivotal moment in the global financing landscape, as we approach the 4th International Conference on Financing for Development in June of this year in Spain. The conference aims to adopt a new framework for international financing to develop a more integrated and effective approach to financing sustainable development.

H.E. Dr. Al-Mashat added that the launch of the E-INFS at this time represents a golden opportunity in preparation for Egypt's participation in this conference. She explained that the preparatory meetings for the conference over the past months have shown how consistent the discussion outcomes are with what was outlined in the E-INFS, particularly regarding the involvement of all stakeholders from the government, private sector, and regional and international development partners when preparing the strategy. The strategy also proposes innovative and sustainable financial mechanisms and tools to mobilize financing from various public and private, local and international sources, all within an integrated action plan framework, which contributes to addressing the financing gap in alignment with national development priorities.

H.E. Minister Al-Mashat commended the efforts of the various national entities, the UN team, the Ministry of Planning, Economic Development, and International Cooperation, and everyone involved in preparing this strategy.