CAIRO – 14 April 2026: Egypt’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation, and Egyptians Abroad, Badr Abdelatty, met on Tuesday with Ousmane Dione, World Bank Vice President for the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.
The meeting took place during Abdelatty's visit to Washington to participate in the Spring Meetings of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. Also in attendance were Hussein Eissa, Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs, and Ahmed Rostom, Minister of Planning and Economic Development.
During the session, the Foreign Minister expressed his appreciation for the World Bank President's visit to Egypt in March 2024, emphasizing the importance of building upon its outcomes to strengthen cooperation frameworks. He highlighted priority sectors such as healthcare, water resource management, tourism, food security, and agriculture.
The discussions addressed opportunities to expand the World Bank's technical support to Egypt in several vital sectors. These include the development of a comprehensive national system for innovation and artificial intelligence, the promotion of the Suez Canal Economic Zone, improvements in energy efficiency, the modernization of ports, and enhanced efforts to localize domestic industry.
The meeting also touched upon the repercussions of regional military escalations on the global economy. Minister Abdelatty emphasized that the Egyptian economy has demonstrated resilience due to structural and monetary reforms implemented by the government in recent years—most notably the adoption of a flexible exchange rate system, which has helped navigate current economic challenges.
Minister Abdelatty stressed the importance of strengthening the role of multilateral development banks in bridging the development financing gap. He called for the provision of concessional financing and the development of innovative financial instruments to support developing countries' efforts toward sustainable development and economic transformation.
He further emphasized the need to reform the international financial system and enhance the role of international financial institutions to better reflect the priorities of developing countries, strengthening their ability to address crises effectively.
The Foreign Minister also highlighted the significant role of the Aswan Forum for Sustainable Peace and Development as a leading African platform linking peace, security, and development. He expressed his hope for the World Bank's participation in the Forum, noting that the sixth edition, scheduled for November 2026, will focus on development financing and poverty reduction amid current regional and international challenges.
Regarding water security, Minister Abdelatty expressed his aspiration to strengthen cooperation with the World Bank to support sustainable water resource management.
He noted the launch of the Egyptian mechanism for financing projects in the Nile Basin and reviewed the specific water challenges facing Egypt due to scarcity. He highlighted the state's commitment to the National Water Resources Strategy, which includes a comprehensive vision for rationalizing water use, expanding reuse, and modernizing irrigation methods.
On a regional note, the Foreign Minister stressed the importance of maintaining international focus on the reconstruction of Gaza as a fundamental pillar for stability. He commended the World Bank's expertise in this field, expressing reliance on its continued support through the transparent management of donor funds and technical advice for priority projects to improve living conditions for the Palestinian people.
For his part, Vice President Ousmane Dione commended the ongoing cooperation with Egypt and expressed appreciation for the measures the country has taken to mitigate the economic repercussions of the current regional crisis.
He affirmed the Bank's readiness to provide further support, particularly in tourism, innovative finance, and renewable energy, aimed at creating new job opportunities and strengthening the private sector.
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