Egypt and Lebanon have signed several memoranda of understanding (MoUs) to strengthen cooperation and exchange expertise in economic and development policy-making, including two MoUs with Egypt’s Ministry of Planning and its affiliated Institute of National Planning (INP).
The signings took place during the Egyptian-Lebanese Higher Joint Committee, which concluded its work under the chairmanship of the prime ministers of the two countries. A total of 15 MoUs and joint cooperation documents were signed in various fields.
In a statement, Egyptian Minister of Planning and Economic Development Rania Al-Mashat said the MoU between her ministry and the Lebanese Ministry of Economy and Trade covers the exchange of expertise in setting sustainable development plans and policies, preparing national and local voluntary reports, and raising the efficiency of public investment.
It also includes cooperation in economic modelling and forecasting, macroeconomic impact assessment studies, and planning at the strategic, central, sectoral, and regional levels.
“Egypt possesses great expertise in maximizing the benefit from development finance and the effectiveness of relations with development partners,” Al-Mashat said. “Therefore, the two sides will work to exchange expertise to achieve the maximum possible development benefit in the fields of international cooperation, development cooperation effectiveness, and negotiating with international institutions.”
A second MoU was signed between the Ministry of Economy and Trade in Lebanon and Egypt’s Institute of National Planning (INP), which aims to strengthen cooperation in preparing joint research and studies, implementing training programmes, and providing consultations.
During the committee’s activities, Lebanese Minister of Economy and Trade, Amer Bisat, reaffirmed the depth of relations with Egypt.
“Lebanon went through a difficult period in recent years, and today we are starting a new period,” Bisat said. “We borrow from Rania Al-Mashat the concept of ‘Egypt’s Narrative for Economic Development’ launched by Egypt, to say that Lebanon is creating a new narrative that is not based on crises and wars, but on investment, construction, and development.”
