Prime Minister Moustafa Madbouly reaffirmed the government's appreciation for the World Bank Group's role in supporting the country's development agenda, expressing hope for deeper cooperation to advance sustainable development goals, strengthen economic resilience and promote more inclusive growth.
During talks on Tuesday, July 14, 2026, with World Bank Managing Director and Chief Knowledge Officer Paschal Donohoe, Madbouly discussed expanding cooperation in priority sectors and supporting Egypt's economic development and structural reform program. He voiced hope to build on the positive outcomes of World Bank Group President Ajay Banga's visit to Cairo in March 2026, during which he met President Abdel Fattah El Sisi, with a view to expanding cooperation in priority sectors, including health, water, energy, tourism, food security, manufacturing, agriculture, digital transformation and artificial intelligence.
Madbouly reviewed progress made in implementing Egypt's economic and structural reform program, stressing that the government's reforms have enhanced the competitiveness of the Egyptian economy, empowered the private sector, strengthened its role in driving economic activity and supported job creation and sustainable inclusive development.
The prime minister also praised ongoing cooperation with the World Bank Group in preparing Egypt's National Foreign Direct Investment Strategy, aimed at strengthening the country's investment competitiveness and attracting more FDI. He highlighted joint efforts to prepare the Business Ready (B-READY) report, the World Bank's new framework for assessing the business and investment climate.
He further pointed to cooperation with the World Bank Group in formulating a comprehensive restructuring plan for the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise Development Agency (MSMEDA), with the aim of enhancing its support for productive activities and streamlining financing and licensing procedures.
He stressed the importance of the sector as a key driver of economic growth and job creation, expressing the government's desire to benefit from the World Bank Group's technical expertise in this field. Madbouly also reviewed developments in Egypt's digital transformation and artificial intelligence sectors, noting the growing contribution of the digital economy to GDP and reaffirming the government's commitment to strengthening cooperation with the World Bank Group in developing digital infrastructure to support digital transformation and enhance the competitiveness of the Egyptian economy.
For her part, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and Egyptian Expatriates Samar El-Ahdal said the Foreign Ministry is coordinating with national authorities and the World Bank Group to maximize the benefits of existing cooperation and explore new partnership opportunities in line with the state's priorities and economic reform agenda.
She added that the current visit by World Bank Group officials represents an important opportunity to advance bilateral cooperation and build on achievements made over recent years, supporting Egypt's efforts to attract investment, expand private sector participation and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.
El-Ahdal noted that the visit includes a number of field tours showcasing successful cooperation projects between Egypt and the World Bank Group, reflecting progress in implementing joint projects and underscoring both sides' commitment to further strengthening the strategic partnership and expanding it into new areas, particularly digital transformation, artificial intelligence, healthcare and support for small and medium-sized enterprises, in line with Egypt Vision 2030.
Meanwhile, Donohoe expressed his pleasure at visiting Egypt, saying the trip aims to build on the positive outcomes of the World Bank Group president's visit to Egypt last March and further strengthen the strategic partnership with the Egyptian government. He said the World Bank Group views Egypt as an important regional partner and appreciates the government's continued efforts to implement its economic and structural reform program, contributing to macroeconomic stability, a stronger private sector, an improved investment climate and increased job creation.