Egypt is fully open to expanding partnerships with the private sector, Public Business Sector Minister Mohammed Sheemy told a visiting World Bank Group delegation during talks on Sunday, according to a Cabinet statement. The meeting, held at the ministry's headquarters in the New Administrative Capital, focused on opportunities for technical cooperation and investment in state-owned companies, as Egypt pushes ahead with reforms to restructure public enterprises and boost their competitiveness. Minister Sheemy said the ministry's strategy aims to maximise returns on state assets and increase the contribution of affiliated companies to GDP, in line with Egypt's Vision 2030, the government's policy programme, and the State Ownership Policy Document. The minister underlined the government's commitment to attracting local and foreign private capital across its industrial and service portfolio, citing successful models of public-private cooperation already in place. He also highlighted efforts to strengthen governance, improve transparency, and adopt green and digital practices, including the rollout of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems in several companies. The World Bank Group delegation included Stephane Guimbert, Regional Director for Egypt, Yemen and Djibouti, Middle East and North Africa, Afghanistan and Pakistan (MENAAP); Cheick-Oumar Sylla, Regional Director for North Africa and the Horn of Africa at the International Finance Corporation (IFC); and Saad Sabra, IFC Senior Country Officer for Egypt. They all praised the government's reform plans and expressed interest in supporting institutional development and investment partnerships. Attribution: Amwal Al Ghad English Subediting: Y.Yasser
