Bassel Rahmy, CEO of the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise Development Agency (MSMEDA), stated the agency directed 45% of its total financing, amounting to EGP 18.7bn, to projects owned or managed by women from July 2014 to December 2025. This supported around 934,000 projects across agricultural, industrial, productive, service, and commercial sectors, creating about 1.3 million job opportunities.
In a statement on Egyptian Women’s Day, March 16, Bassel Rahmy noted that community development initiatives for women generated around 18.9 million workdays during the period. Women-led projects accounted for 28% of MSMEDA’s marketing services over the past decade, with about 56,000 women receiving entrepreneurship training. The agency’s strategy aims to empower women economically and socially, aligning with directives from the political leadership and Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly, who chairs its board. It supports young female graduates in self-employment through cooperation with government entities, civil society, and the private sector, plus tailored technical, administrative, financial aid, and free vocational training across governorates. Special focus goes to women’s production clusters and handicrafts in border governorates and Upper Egypt. MSMEDA facilitates women’s participation in exhibitions like the Turathna Exhibition, its flagship for traditional industries, and provides e-marketing, professional photography, and exhibition access, with women comprising around 55% of local exhibition participants. Rahmy urged Egyptian women to visit MSMEDA branches or call the hotline for services to launch small enterprises.