Egypt assumes co-chairmanship of MENA-OECD Initiative

Updated 5/8/2025 5:45:00 AM

Arab Finance: Egypt has officially assumed the co-chairmanship of the MENA-OECD Initiative on Governance and Competitiveness for Development, Rania Al-Mashat, Minister of Planning, Economic Development, and International Cooperation, announced.

Succeeding Tunisia, Egypt will serve as co-chair for the 2026–2030 period, alongside Italy and Türkiye.

This announcement came during the Steering Committee meeting held in France, under the theme: ‘Addressing Global Transformations in the MENA Region’.

The Initiative was launched in 2005 to boost cooperation between MENA countries and the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), aimed at driving sustainable and inclusive growth policies.

It also supports joint efforts between governments, the OECD, civil society, and the private sector to address regional challenges and encourage development priorities, including women’s empowerment, job creation, and more.

On her part, Al-Mashat affirmed Egypt’s commitment to promoting multilateral cooperation and enhancing partnerships across the MENA region through knowledge exchange and evidence-based policymaking.

She added: “Egypt stands ready to support the initiative as a platform for dialogue and policy development, capable of anticipating the future and fostering inclusive prosperity in our region.”

The minister reflected on key areas of cooperation between Egypt and the OECD, indicating that the OECD Country Program focuses on five main pillars: inclusive economic growth, innovation, governance, statistics, and sustainable development.

It covers 35 projects that support Egypt’s Vision 2030 and the National Structural Reform Program.

“As we discuss responding to global transformations in the MENA region today, we must underscore the crucial role of bilateral and regional cooperation in addressing emerging global challenges. Such cooperation helps shape progress and strengthens collective expertise to build resilience,” the minister elaborated.