Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly chaired a meeting on Sunday at the government headquarters in New Alamein City to follow up on key files and activities of the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise Development Agency (MSMEDA). The meeting brought together Rania Al-Mashat, Minister of Planning, Economic Development and International Cooperation; Ahmed Kouchouk, Minister of Finance; Bassel Rahmy, CEO of MSMEDA; Hesham Goweid, Director General of the Banking Supervision Sector at the Central Bank of Egypt; alongside other senior officials. At the outset, Madbouly underscored the pivotal role of MSMEDA in driving growth across multiple sectors, nurturing entrepreneurship and innovation, and supporting the competitiveness of Egyptian products. He stressed the need to sustain the agency's financial strength and to advance its work in line with an integrated strategic vision. Al-Mashat outlined the ministry's coordination efforts with international financial institutions to reinforce MSMEDA's activities, while highlighting the importance of aligning the agency's exhibition initiatives with similar efforts led by other organisations to maximise impact. For his part, the Minister of Finance emphasised the importance of modernising MSMEDA's operational model to boost efficiency and extend its reach. He called for expanding partnerships with international donors to launch new programmes and initiatives, especially those centred on entrepreneurship and export support. He proposed a dedicated initiative to help exporters, which could in turn increase Egypt's export volumes and strengthen the market presence of companies with established brands. Presenting MSMEDA's recent efforts, Basel Rahmy detailed measures taken in collaboration with relevant institutions to safeguard the agency's financial sustainability. He pointed to MSMEDA's contribution in supporting traditional and heritage crafts, providing marketing consultancy for exports, and drawing on global best practices. Rahmy also highlighted institutional development steps adopted since early 2023, which have focused on improving spending efficiency by rationalising costs and boosting revenue. Regarding performance indicators, Rahmy reported that direct lending accounted for 21% of MSMEDA-financed projects in 2025, up from 11% in 2024. Financing for medium-sized projects rose sharply to 11% in 2025, compared to 3% in 2024 and just 0.2% in 2023—leading to more job creation and greater export potential. The share of financing channelled to productive sectors—including industry, agriculture, and livestock—climbed to 24% in 2025, up from 16% the previous year. Moreover, Upper Egypt continued to receive priority, with 55% of the agency's total financing directed there. Rahmy also discussed preparations for the upcoming seventh edition of the "Torathna" (Our Heritage) exhibition, set to launch in early October, which expects around 1,200 exhibitors. Notably, at least 30% will be new participants, with representation balanced across all governorates. The exhibition also aims to increase the participation of women and projects newly integrated into the formal sector, while promoting financial inclusion. Reflecting on the 2024 edition, Rahmy noted it featured 385 exhibitors from civil society organisations, 141 exhibitors from people with disabilities, and 331 individual participants. Women represented 74% of exhibitors, and the event attracted over 150,000 visitors.
