For the first time since her election as head of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), President Odile Renaud-Basso is set to meet Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on Wednesday. Renaud-Basso, who arrived in Cairo on Tuesday evening as part of a visit to the North African country from April 21 and 22 for high-level meetings with the authorities and the business community. "Egypt was one of the few countries that did not plunge into recession last year due to the coronavirus pandemic. However, Egypt was hit hard. The EBRD is committed to supporting the country in these challenging times to help overcome the economic setbacks and to continue delivering on reforms in order to achieve a sound, sustainable, and inclusive recovery." Renaud-Basso said in a statement. During her visit, EBRD president will also meet Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly; Minister of International Cooperation Rania al-Mashat; Minister of Electricity Mohamed Shaker; Minister of Housing Assem El-Gazzar; and Minister of Local Development Mahmoud Youssry Shaarawy. Renaud-Basso will also have meetings with Governor of Cairo Khaled Abdel-Aal Abdel-Hafez, Governor of Alexandria Taher El-Sherif, officials in the Egyptian National Railways, and representatives of the private sector, the EBRD's key business partner in its activities. Supporting Egypt's transition to a green economy, the EBRD president is expected to sign agreements to develop sustainable infrastructure and renewable energy in the North African country. Renaud-Baso is the first woman to be elected as the president of the EBRD. Egypt is an EBRD's founding member. Since the start of its operations in 2012, the European bank has invested around €7.2 billion in 127 projects in the country.
