Egypt’s Minister of Planning, Economic Development and International Cooperation Rania Al-Mashat on Sunday opened a high-level workshop introducing the Sustainable Green Industries Program, saying it reflected the central role of international cooperation in advancing economic development and accelerating the country’s industrial transition.
The event, titled “The Sustainable Green Industries Project to Support Egyptian Industry,” brought together senior government officials, development partners, the private sector and local banks. Attendees included Deputy Prime Minister for Industrial Development and Minister of Industry and Transport Kamel Al-Wazir; Ali Abu Senna, head of the Environmental Affairs Agency; French Ambassador Éric Chevallier; Guido Clary, head of the European Investment Bank Regional Hub; and Anne Schouw, deputy head of the European Union Delegation to Egypt.
Al-Mashat said the workshop was the result of close coordination with national entities, including the Ministry of Environment, to introduce the programme to industrial companies and export councils. She said the initiative represented a culmination of joint efforts between the government and international development partners.
She explained that the programme demonstrates the state’s commitment to supporting the industrial sector in its green transition. It aims to improve performance, reduce carbon emissions and rationalise resource consumption through €271m (EGP 14.8bn) provided by the European Investment Bank, the European Union and the French Development Agency. The programme is implemented by the Environmental Affairs Agency and the National Bank of Egypt, with all funding directed to the private sector and no financial burden on the state.
Prepared since 2022, the Sustainable Green Industries Program supports the shift of Egyptian industry toward a green economy. It covers measures relating to climate action and environmental sustainability at industrial sites across the country, particularly in areas heavily affected by pollution. The programme provides financing and grants to both public and private industrial companies.
Al-Mashat said more than 10 sectors will benefit, including cement, fertilisers, iron and steel, aluminium, heavy industries and chemicals. Many are labour-intensive sectors where improved competitiveness is needed to boost exports in international markets.
She added that the programme builds on the outcomes of the three phases of Egypt’s Industrial Pollution Control Program and is aligned with national strategies on climate change, environmental sustainability and green growth. The ministry, she said, has promoted blended finance as a tool to mobilise investment in industry and green transformation.
The minister noted that promoting green growth remains central to the state’s development vision. She pointed to several national initiatives, including the National Climate Change Strategy 2050, the NWFE platform for green investment and the Structural Reform Program, which aims to improve resource efficiency and enhance industrial competitiveness.
Al-Mashat said the green transition forms a main component of the Structural Reform Program implemented by the ministry in coordination with national stakeholders. Under this framework, the government developed a green planning system, expanded sustainable financing tools, prepared emission-reduction plans and strengthened the private sector’s role in low-carbon projects.
She highlighted “Egypt’s Narrative for Economic Development”, which focuses on building a strong, resilient and inclusive economy with people at the centre of the development process. The transition to green and sustainable industries is a core pillar of this narrative, which includes structural reforms to localise industry.
The narrative, she said, also reinforces efforts to distribute investments fairly across governorates and integrate environmental considerations into planning. Egypt aims to increase green public investments from 40% in FY 2023/2024 to 70% by 2030, adopting an approach that embeds environmental sustainability into development policy.
Al-Mashat underscored the private sector’s role as a key partner in Egypt’s green transition. She said national platforms have become central to coordinating climate-finance efforts between the private sector, development partners, international institutions and government agencies. She added that the banking sector plays an essential role through financial intermediation and private-sector lending.
The minister also highlighted the “Hafiz” platform, launched in 2023 to help public and private industrial companies access innovative financing instruments, incentives and concessional loans. The platform offers technical support, promotes efficient resource use, and encourages investment in emissions-reduction technologies. It will be rolled out across governorates to introduce the business community to available financing mechanisms.
Al-Mashat concluded that all international cooperation programmes are part of a broader national effort to advance economic development. She said citizens benefit directly from the programme through reduced pollution and the creation of sustainable job opportunities, helping strengthen Egypt’s long-term economic resilience.
