Dr. Rania Al-Mashat, Egypt’s Minister of Planning, Economic Development and International Cooperation, met with Dubravka Šuica, European Commissioner for Neighborhood and Enlargement, and Josep Borrell, European Commissioner for International Partnerships, to discuss cooperation and the partnership framework with the European Union. This took place during her participation in the Global Gateway Forum organized by the EU in Brussels from October 8 to 10, with high-level participation from government leaders, representatives of international financial institutions, and development partners worldwide.

The meetings discussed the strategic relations between Egypt and the EU, developments in the Middle East, and ongoing efforts to achieve peace and halt the war in Gaza. The European side emphasized the pivotal role of Egypt and the efforts of President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi to achieve stability and establish security foundations in the region.

Al-Mashat also discussed developments in the comprehensive strategic partnership framework between Egypt and the EU, highlighting European investments amounting to 7.4 billion euros under this partnership. These investments are distributed across six priority areas: strengthening political relations, supporting economic stability, encouraging investment and trade, developing migration and mobility frameworks, enhancing security, and supporting human-centered initiatives such as skills development and education.

She noted that the Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation is currently working with the EU delegation in Cairo to prepare the new cooperation framework for 2025-2027, aligned with shared goals and priorities. The framework ensures program integration to support reforms under the macro-financial assistance (MFA) mechanism and budget support, maintaining the same trajectory. This new framework includes grants worth 600 million euros directed towards key cooperation areas between Egypt and the EU, ensuring funding aligns with national priorities and achieves maximum developmental impact.

Regarding the MFA mechanism, the minister stated that the first tranche of macro-financial assistance, amounting to 1 billion euros, was disbursed in December last year. Between January and June 2025, Egypt, in cooperation with the EU Directorate-General for Economic and Financial Affairs and national bodies, conducted consultations to identify 87 reforms to be implemented in the second phase of the program, which will be funded with 4 billion euros.

Al-Mashat reviewed the “National Economic Development Narrative,” prepared according to directives from the President and Prime Minister and in line with Egypt’s General Planning Law No. 18 of 2022 and Unified Public Finance Law No. 6 of 2022. These laws form the legislative framework for setting national strategic goals, priorities, linking them to macroeconomic policies, and ensuring consistency between planning, budgeting, and performance indicators across government entities.

She explained that the narrative provides a comprehensive framework ensuring government plans align with Egypt Vision 2030, respond to changing regional and international developments, continue economic reforms, focus on high-productivity and export-oriented sectors, and enhance the private sector’s role as a key driver of growth and job creation. The framework covers policies on investment, industry, trade, and employment, focusing on manufacturing, tourism, agriculture, energy, and ICT sectors.

The narrative serves as the general framework for comprehensive development, under which specific measures and reforms in the first and second phases of the macro-financial assistance and budget support program are included, ensuring full alignment between EU-supported reforms and Egypt’s national economic policies. The first chapter of the narrative addresses the comprehensive partnership agreement with the EU as part of efforts to maximize developmental financing benefits.

She highlighted the strategic and comprehensive partnership between Egypt and the EU signed on March 14, 2024, which sets shared priorities and strategic goals to guide cooperation efforts, ensure alignment with Egypt’s national priorities, and respond to emerging needs within an integrated, long-term collaborative framework.

Regarding the existing cooperation portfolio between Egypt and the EU, the minister emphasized the EU’s importance as a major strategic development partner contributing to priority projects across various sectors. The current portfolio is valued at approximately 1.3 billion euros, including grants and concessional financing, with cooperation under integrated financing programs supporting vital sectors such as transport, water, agriculture, SMEs, renewable energy, social protection, governance, civil society, and capacity building.