Minister of Planning, Economic Development and International Cooperation, Rania Al-Mashat, reaffirmed Egypt’s commitment to positioning itself as a platform for international investment and cooperation, despite mounting global and regional uncertainties.
Speaking at the launch of the UNCTAD World Investment Report 2025 in Cairo, Al-Mashat noted that the report comes at a moment of heightened geopolitical and economic volatility.
“This report is being released at a time of rising uncertainty, even more than when it was drafted,” she said.
Still, she pointed to areas of optimism, especially regarding Africa’s investment outlook. Highlighting Egypt’s recent activity, she cited the Ras El-Hekma megaproject, which includes both foreign direct investment and debt-swap mechanisms, as a key example of how Egypt is attracting innovative financing models. “The report examines this in detail,” she added.
Al-Mashat said the report echoes global calls to scale up private sector financing for sustainable development, aligning closely with Egypt’s national reform agenda. She pointed to Egypt’s role as a case study during the Development Finance to Foster Private Sector-Led Growth & Jobs conference, which it hosted earlier in the week.
“Egypt demonstrates how multilateral development partners can collaborate to drive investment and development,” she said.
The Minister also addressed global development themes featured in the report, such as East Asia’s green transition, and emphasized the role of South–South and triangular cooperation in knowledge-sharing. She warned of growing disparities in digital development, particularly in relation to artificial intelligence.
“The digital divide is no longer just about access to infrastructure; it now includes AI,” she noted. “Without inclusive approaches, we risk leaving countries behind.”
Al-Mashat concluded by highlighting Egypt’s recurring role as a host for international forums and initiatives related to investment and development.
“We started this week with strong signals from international institutions on concessional finance and private sector engagement in Egypt, and we’re ending it with the launch of a flagship UN report from Cairo,” she said.