‘We gave great importance to social aspect of economic reform,’ says President El-Sisi

CAIRO – 4 May 2026: President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi received Mathias Cormann, Secretary-General of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), on Monday.

The meeting was attended by Dr. Badr Abdelatty, Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation, and Egyptians Abroad, and Dr. Ahmed Rostom, Minister of Planning and Economic Development. Also representing the OECD were Manal Korine, Director of the Centre for Tax Policy and Administration, and Karim Dahou, Deputy Director of Global Relations and Cooperation.

 

Ambassador Mohamed El-Shenawy, the official spokesperson for the Presidency, stated that the President welcomed the Secretary-General’s visit. During the meeting, President El-Sisi emphasized Egypt's appreciation for its longstanding cooperation with the OECD in economic and development fields. He also highlighted the organization's support for Egypt's economic reform efforts and its pursuit of comprehensive development, particularly through the Country Programme for Cooperation, which has been in place since 2021.

President El-Sisi also reviewed the state's efforts to maximize the role of the private sector in the development process and stimulate foreign and domestic investment through the development of relevant legislative and institutional frameworks.

President El-Sisi emphasized that the state has given significant attention to the social dimension in its economic reform program.

He pointed to the achievements in eliminating slum, which have so far benefited approximately 350,000 families who have been provided with more than 300,000 new, fully equipped housing units.

He also highlighted the presidential initiative to eliminate waiting lists for patients requiring surgery, as well as the progress in implementing the "Decent Life" initiative in its two phases, which will benefit more than fifty million citizens.

The official spokesperson added that the President explained how the Egyptian state has navigated various global crises over the past five years through proactive and well-considered measures that have garnered praise from international financial institutions. This same approach is being applied as Egypt confronts current challenges related to regional instability.

The President also noted that Egypt has lost approximately $10 billion in Suez Canal revenues due to attacks on shipping in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait resulting from the ongoing conflict in the Gaza Strip.

He emphasized that Egypt hosts approximately 10 million foreigners who have sought refuge in the country due to conflicts in their home nations. These individuals receive the same essential services provided to Egyptian citizens, without the situation being exploited for political purposes.

The OECD Secretary-General expressed his deep appreciation for the visit and the meeting with President El-Sisi. He commended Egypt's leading role in maintaining regional stability and its pivotal contributions to the organization's Middle East and North Africa Initiative on Governance and Competitiveness for Development, which Egypt co-chairs.

Furthermore, he praised the resilience of the Egyptian economy in the face of global challenges and geopolitical tensions, attributing this strength to the reforms implemented in recent years. He reaffirmed the OECD's commitment to building upon the success of the Country Program for Cooperation to achieve national priorities aimed at promoting sustainable economic growth.