Minister of International Cooperation Rania Al-Mashat delivered the closing speech of the 2023 edition of the EIB MED Conference, which is jointly organized by the Spanish Presidency of the European Union and the Union for the Mediterranean, and held under the theme “Connectivity in the Mediterranean: Together for a Better Future.” This included the participation of Gelsomina Vigliotti, Vice President of the European Investment Bank (EIB), Hassan Abdallah, Governor of the Central Bank of Egypt, Ambassador Nasser Kamel, Secretary General of the Union for the Mediterranean, and other government representatives, leaders of the EIB, the private sector, international financing institutions, and relevant stakeholders.
In her speech, the Minister said that the infrastructure sector in Egypt has witnessed significant growth over the past years, mainly driven by strong political will, and the country’s efforts to enhance effective partnerships between the government and private sectors, and the expansion of fourth-generation cities and green buildings to increase energy efficiency and advanced infrastructure.
This includes the New Administrative Capital inauguration and airports, ports and transport networks were developed.
The Minister referred to the efforts made by the Government of Egypt to develop 14 smart cities and develop urban communities in a way that enhances investment opportunities for the private sector to participate in the development of infrastructure, noting that H.E. President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, the President of the Arab Republic of Egypt, launched the digital transformation initiative with the aim of enhancing the efficiency of the government sector and improving services provided electronically to citizens.
Al-Mashat explained that the Ministry of International Cooperation is working to enhance the country’s development priorities in accordance with the ongoing plans, and in this regard, the development cooperation portfolio includes more than 36 projects to achieve the SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure, with a value of $5.7 billion, representing approximately 22% of the total portfolio, 30 projects under SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities with a value of $1.5 billion, and 34 projects for SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy with a value of $5.9 billion.
Source: State Information Service Egypt