The Cairo International Book Fair 2026 hosted Rania Al-Mashat, Minister of Planning, Economic Development and International Cooperation, in a seminar organized by the NAWA Foundation on 'Egypt’s Narrative for Comprehensive Development: Reforms for Growth, Jobs and Resilience.' Moderated by Abdel Moneim Said, the event gathered economists, professors, and visitors to examine the country's integrated development framework. Al-Mashat explained how the Narrative integrates Egypt Vision 2030 with the Government Program to address global economic shifts since 2020.
Rania Al-Mashat emphasized that the Narrative provides an integrated planning framework, defining national, regional, and sectoral strategies while setting measurable performance targets for ministries and government entities. It links development outcomes to financial performance through a programs-and-performance approach, fostering accountability and sustainable growth.
Key pillars include spatial justice and regional development, leveraging the competitive advantages of each governorate. Al-Mashat highlighted President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi’s directives to expand development corridors, boost productivity, and prioritize governorates, citing growth in Upper Egypt’s textile industry and new clusters in Sinai.
Public investment governance has created opportunities for private sector expansion, with private investments comprising 65% of total investments and a goal to exceed 70% by 2030. The minister discussed policies for private sector empowerment, competitive neutrality, and business environment reforms under the National Structural Reforms Program.
The Narrative prioritizes 28 industries with comparative advantages to support export growth and integration into global supply chains, with the Suez Canal Economic Zone playing a pivotal role in attracting diverse investments in technology, industry, and energy.
Al-Mashat stressed the need to manage future economic expectations, enhance transparency, and enable citizens and businesses to make informed decisions. International cooperation remains a cornerstone, featuring 58 joint committees to bolster trade, investment, and supply chains, alongside a dedicated chapter on economic diplomacy and African relations.
Concluding the seminar, Al-Mashat reaffirmed the Narrative’s theme, 'Driving Economic Change… Enhancing Quality of Life,' which places human development and quality of life at the forefront, with programs targeting all age groups as a foundation for sustainable economic growth and competitiveness. She noted that the second edition will expand on national security, service sectors, and ongoing initiatives such as the fifteenth Economic Census.