The meetings took place during the Global Gateway Forum
2025, organized by the EU in Brussels from October 8 to 10, with high-level
participation from government leaders, international financial institutions,
and development partners.
Discussions focused on the strategic partnership between
Egypt and the EU, developments in the Middle East, and ongoing efforts to
achieve peace and end the war on Gaza. The European side praised Egypt’s
pivotal role and President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi’s efforts to promote stability
and reinforce regional security.
The Minister reviewed progress under the Comprehensive
Strategic Partnership Framework between Egypt and the EU, which encompasses
€7.4 billion in European investments across six key areas: strengthening
political relations, supporting economic stability, boosting investment and
trade, developing migration and mobility frameworks, enhancing security, and
supporting human-centered initiatives such as skills development and education.
Al-Mashat noted that the Ministry is currently working with
the EU Delegation in Cairo to prepare a new cooperation framework for
2025–2027. She said the framework aligns with shared priorities, integrates
ongoing programs, and supports reforms under the Macro-Financial Assistance and
Budget Support Mechanism. It includes €600 million in grants under the
Comprehensive Strategic Partnership to fund priority areas and ensure alignment
with national development goals.
The Minister pointed out that the first tranche of the
Macro-Financial Assistance and Budget Support Mechanism, amounting to €1
billion, was disbursed last December. She added that Egypt, in collaboration
with the EU Directorate-General for Economic and Financial Affairs and national
authorities, held consultations between January and June 2025 to identify 87
reforms to be implemented under the program’s second phase, which will be
financed with €4 billion in additional EU support.
Al-Mashat also presented the National Narrative for Economic
Development, developed under the directives of the President of the Republic
and the Prime Minister, and in line with State General Planning Law No. 18 of
2022 and the Unified Public Finance Law No. 6 of 2022. The framework defines
national strategic objectives, sets priorities, and ensures consistency between
planning, budgeting, and performance across government institutions.
She explained that the National Narrative aligns the
government’s action plan with Egypt Vision 2030 while addressing regional and
global developments. It builds on the path of economic reform, focuses on
high-productivity and export-oriented sectors, and enhances the private
sector’s role as a main driver of growth and job creation. The framework covers
investment, industry, trade, and employment policies, with a special focus on
manufacturing, tourism, agriculture, energy, and information and communications
technology.
The Minister emphasized that the National Narrative serves
as the overarching framework governing reforms under both phases of the
Macro-Financial Assistance program, ensuring full alignment between
EU-supported reforms and Egypt’s national policies. She highlighted that the
first chapter of the Narrative addresses the Comprehensive Partnership
Agreement with the EU, signed on March 14, 2024, which outlines shared
strategic priorities to guide cooperation and align with Egypt’s national goals
within a long-term collaborative framework.
Al-Mashat reaffirmed the EU’s role as a key strategic
development partner supporting Egypt’s priority projects across multiple
sectors. The current cooperation portfolio amounts to about €1.3 billion,
including grants and concessional financing. She noted that ongoing collaboration
within blended finance programs supports critical sectors such as
transportation, water, agriculture, small and medium-sized enterprises,
renewable energy, social protection, governance, civil society, and capacity
building.