Ahmed Khaled Hassan Said, Governor of Alexandria, received Basel Rahmi, CEO of the Small, Medium and Micro Enterprise Development Authority, and Chitosi Noguchi, Resident Representative of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Egypt, along with their delegation of senior officials, to discuss ways to enhance joint cooperation between the governorate and the authority to support and finance industrial and productive projects for youth, and to expand services offered to entrepreneurs.

The meeting reviewed current and future cooperation between the governorate and the authority, as well as discussing developmental needs and available investment opportunities in the governorate to ensure expansion in project financing and establishment of more productive and service projects that serve citizens and support the local economy.

Governor Ahmed Khaled Hassan Said confirmed that the Egyptian state pays great attention to small and medium enterprises as one of the key drivers of economic growth and job creation. He explained that the governorate works in full coordination with relevant state agencies, foremost among them the Project Development Authority, to provide an attractive and stimulating business environment for investors and project owners. He pointed out that Alexandria has unique economic, industrial, and logistical capabilities that make it a pivotal center on the Mediterranean coast.

The governor added that expanding support and financing for productive and industrial projects is one of the governorate’s top priorities during the current phase, aiming for comprehensive development and improving citizens’ living standards. He also emphasized that the governorate spares no effort in supporting youth and encouraging innovation and entrepreneurship, noting that continuous coordination between the governorate and the authority contributes to achieving the state’s vision for balanced and sustainable development by creating real job opportunities, increasing local production, and enhancing the competitiveness of small and medium enterprises.

On her part, Chitosi Noguchi, UNDP Resident Representative in Egypt, expressed appreciation for the fruitful cooperation between the program, Alexandria governorate, and the Project Development Authority, affirming the program’s commitment to supporting national efforts in implementing development projects that improve living standards, enhance local community capacities, and provide sustainable job opportunities, achieving sustainable development goals across various sectors.

For his part, Basel Rahmi, CEO of the Project Development Authority, explained that the meeting discussed ways to expand the financial and technical services provided by the authority to the residents of the governorate, stressing the authority’s keenness to strengthen cooperation with Alexandria as a major economic and commercial center nationwide.

He added that joint efforts between the authority and the governorate will focus on supporting industrial and productive areas, primarily Borg El Arab and Margem, by injecting more financing and providing technical support and necessary training for project owners, enhancing investment opportunities and supporting youth and women employment.

He pointed out that the authority has injected financing in Alexandria amounting to 2.1 billion EGP from July 2014 until August 2025, funding more than 51,000 diverse projects and providing about 111,000 job opportunities, confirming the authority’s determination to expand financing and services in the upcoming phase to cover more promising productive sectors in the governorate.