Rania A. Al-Mashat, Egypt's Minister of Planning, Economic Development, and International Cooperation, held a series of meetings with global counterparts during the G20 Development Ministers Meeting in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The discussions focused on enhancing joint cooperation and strengthening future partnerships aligned with Egypt's government priorities and programmes. Al-Mashat met with ministers from the UAE, UK, Spain, Angola, Germany, and France, including Ahmed Hussein, Canadian Minister of International Development; Eva Granados, Spanish State Secretary for International Cooperation; Reem Al Hashimy, UAE Minister of State for International Cooperation; Svenja Schulze, German Federal Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development; Anneliese Dodds, UK Minister of State for Women and Equalities; José de Lima, Angolan State Secretary for Economy; and Chrysoula Zacharopoulou, French State Secretary for Development Cooperation.
The discussions covered enhancing cooperation in various development fields, reflecting the close partnership between Egypt and its development partners.
Al-Mashat highlighted Egypt's efforts to implement economic and structural reforms under the government's programme from 2024/25 to 2026/27. The programme aims to achieve goals such as social protection, health improvements, youth and women empowerment, and building a competitive economy attractive to investments by opening up to the private sector and enhancing macroeconomic stability.
Al-Mashat emphasized the importance of priorities under the G20 Development Working Group, including reducing inequalities, enhancing trilateral cooperation, and addressing challenges in financing climate change adaptation projects in the water sector. These priorities are crucial for accelerating the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 2030 amidst ongoing global crises.
Additionally, Al-Mashat engaged with Jutta Urpilainen, European Commissioner for International Partnerships; Cindy McCain, Executive Director of the World Food Programme (WFP); and Rebeca Grynspan, Secretary-General of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). She also met with Anil Kishora, Vice President and COO of the New Development Bank (NDB), and Alvaro Lario, President of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD).
During these meetings, Al-Mashat discussed future cooperation opportunities with the European Union, focusing on enhancing investments through the investment guarantee mechanism and bolstering structural reforms.
She also discussed ongoing projects with the World Food Programme, underscoring Egypt's commitment to supporting small farmers and achieving agricultural and rural development.
In her meeting with the Vice President of the New Development Bank, Al-Mashat expressed Egypt's eagerness for further cooperation with the bank to support development efforts in developing countries, praising the organisation of the first New Development Bank forum in Egypt last June.
Furthermore, Al-Mashat explored priorities for joint cooperation with the Secretary-General of UNCTAD, reflecting the close partnership between Egypt and the United Nations.
She also reviewed ongoing projects within the food sector under the country platform for the "NWFE" programme with the President of IFAD, particularly the CROWN project, and discussed the progress of current projects, including the Sustainable Agriculture Investments and Livelihoods (SAIL) project.
