The World Bank and Egypt have reviewed the progress of the $200m Greater Cairo Air Pollution Management Project alongside a broader green growth strategy, Minister of Planning, Economic Development and International Cooperation Rania Al-Mashat said on Tuesday.
The air pollution project, which is supplemented by a $9.3m grant from the Global Environment Facility, aims to reduce climate emissions from key sectors and enhance resilience to pollution in the capital. The review took place during a meeting between Al-Mashat and a World Bank delegation led by Gallina Andronova Vincelette, Vice President for Operations Policy and Country Services, where the two sides discussed deepening a partnership that dates back to 1959.
Al-Mashat used the meeting to outline Egypt’s 2025/2026 economic and social development plan, which targets total investments of EGP 3.5trn. Under this framework, the private sector is expected to account for 63% of total investments, while public investment is capped at 37% as part of government efforts to rationalise expenditure and enhance governance.
The minister underscored Egypt’s “Narrative for Comprehensive Development,” an integrated framework developed with the support of over 100 World Bank experts. Al-Mashat stated the narrative embeds environmental sustainability across all growth trajectories, including urban development, water, energy, and transport. She explained that the strategy is set to integrate with a national financing strategy that links development goals to performance-based budgeting.
Strategic discussions also covered the Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) Strategy, the Business Ready (B-Ready) Report, and the Blue Economy Strategy. Additionally, the delegation discussed Egypt’s selection for the Climate Investment Funds (CIF) Nature, People, and Climate Investment Program, which focuses on advancing climate-smart agriculture and protecting coastal ecosystems.
On the matter of development policy financing, Al-Mashat confirmed that the government and the World Bank have reached an agreement on a structural reform matrix. This matrix is designed to improve economic competitiveness by expanding private sector participation, building fiscal resilience against external shocks, and supporting the green transition through renewable energy expansion and improved utility efficiency in electricity and sanitation services.
The meeting was attended by Maria Sarraf, Regional Director for Environment, Natural Resources, and the Blue Economy, and Stephan Gimbert, World Bank Regional Director for Egypt, Yemen, and Djibouti. Egypt remains the third-largest contributor to the World Bank within the Middle East and North Africa region.
