Egypt will begin work on its first medium-term economic and social development plan under the Unified Planning Law, covering fiscal years 2026/27 to 2028/29, Planning and Economic Development Minister Rania Al-Mashat said on Sunday. Minister Al-Mashat instructed officials to begin immediate consultations with ministries, public bodies, governors, the private sector, and civil society to draft the plan in line with the participatory approach mandated by the law. The directive follows the completion of the government's development roadmap for FY2025/26, which was recently presented to parliament. "We have a great deal of work ahead to preserve the gains of economic reform and development amid growing regional and global challenges," Minister Al-Mashat said during a high-level meeting with senior ministry officials. She underscored that empowering the private sector and advancing structural reforms remain essential for sustainable economic growth, adding that digital transformation and evidence-based policymaking will be key priorities moving forward. The new medium-term plan is being prepared under Unified Planning Law No. 18 of 2022 and in conjunction with the Unified Public Finance Law No. 6 of 2022, which collectively aim to improve transparency, efficiency, and coordination in national planning. Minister Al-Mashat praised the ministry's recent achievements, including the 2024 annual report, the integrated national development financing strategy, the second progress report on Egypt's NWFE green investment platform, and updated tools for tracking and evaluating policy outcomes in partnership with the United Nations. She said Egypt's macroeconomic stabilisation efforts and structural reforms initiated in March 2024 have strengthened the country's economic resilience and capacity to adapt to global shocks. "We must build on this momentum and move forward with determination to ensure inclusive, sustainable growth aligned with Egypt's Vision 2030," the minister added. Attribution: Amwal Al Ghad English
