Egypt officially assumed co-presidency of the MENA-OECD Initiative on Governance and Competitiveness for Development for the 2026–2030 period, succeeding Tunisia, Minister of Planning Rania Al Mashat has announced. The announcement was made during a steering committee meeting in France titled "Navigating Global Transformations in MENA". Launched in 2005, the initiative promotes inclusive and sustainable growth through collaboration between governments, civil society, and the private sector, focusing on priorities such as women's empowerment and job creation. Al Mashat reaffirmed Egypt's commitment to multilateral cooperation and evidence-based policymaking. "We are here today to renew our collective commitment. Egypt is ready to support this initiative as a platform for dialogue and policy development that anticipates the future and fosters inclusive prosperity in our region," she said. She also praised Tunisia's previous leadership and reviewed Egypt's engagement with the OECD since 2021 under a country programme aligned with Egypt's Vision 2030 and structural reforms. Areas of focus include innovation, governance, sustainable development, and digital transformation. Al Mashat noted Egypt's regional leadership in artificial intelligence as head of both the African Union (AU) and Arab League AI working groups and its partnership with the OECD on a second national AI strategy. She also highlighted cooperation on trade and value chains, including Egypt's participation in the OECD's Trade in Value Added Initiative and efforts to empower women economically through initiatives such as the Gender Gap Accelerator and a new EU-OECD project on women's financial inclusion launched in Cairo in late 2024. Attribution: Amwal Al Ghad English Subediting: M. S. Salama
