Minister of Planning and Economic Development Ahmed Rostom met with Ari Naim, Regional Industry Director for North Africa and the Horn of Africa at the International Finance Corporation (IFC), to discuss strengthening the partnership and mechanisms to support the private sector in Egypt.
At the start of the meeting, the planning minister congratulated the IFC official on assuming his new role in Cairo, stressing the government’s keenness to benefit from the institution’s financing and advisory expertise to provide technical support for priority investments.
Rostom stressed the importance of accelerating private-sector participation in national projects, particularly in the energy, water and infrastructure sectors. He said the state is working to develop regulatory and legislative frameworks to ensure a business environment that is supportive of and attractive to both local and foreign investment.
For his part, Naim praised the growth opportunities available in the Egyptian market, saying the IFC looks forward to providing technical, advisory and financial support for a package of infrastructure projects and public-private partnerships (PPPs), as well as supporting the entrepreneurship ecosystem.
The meeting also addressed upcoming international events to be hosted by Egypt. The planning minister invited the IFC to participate in the Global Entrepreneurship Festival (GEF 2026), scheduled to take place in Cairo from 6 to 8 November 2026, describing it as a strategic platform for strengthening connections between business innovators and international financial institutions.
At the conclusion of the meeting, the two sides agreed to continue direct coordination to translate the proposed areas of cooperation into ongoing work programmes that support the growth of the national economy and create new job opportunities.
