Comprehensive development in Egypt within the discussions of the Cairo International Book Fair 2026

Egypt is currently witnessing the activities of the Cairo International Book Fair in its fifty-seventh session, which is a cultural event and a public space to ask major questions related to the future of the country and the paths ofsustainable development; In a world characterized by economic uncertainty and rapid geopolitical changes, dialogue on development policies within an open knowledge space gains special importance.

In this context, one of the ongoing discussions on comprehensive development in Egypt emerges, in a symposium at the Cairo International Book Fair, which the Earth Guards sheds light on in the following lines. So keep reading

Features of the national narrative

The Cairo International Book Fair hosted an extensive intellectual symposium that discussed the features ofthe national narrative for comprehensive developmentand policies supporting growth and employment, with the participation of Dr. Rania Al-Mashat, “Minister of Planning, Economic Development and International Cooperation,” and in the presence of an elite group of academics, thinkers, economists, and exhibition-goers.

Comprehensive development in Egypt

In this high-level symposium, the Minister of Planning reviewed the process of preparing the national narrative for comprehensive development, which was completed last December after a community dialogue that lasted more than three months, in which more than 120 experts and specialists from various economic and intellectual schools participated.

Dr. Rania Al-Mashat explained that the narrative in its current version reflects the outcomes of this broad dialogue, and accommodates the various visions and observations that were presented during it, indicating that the next stage will witness the organization of introductory sessions; In preparation for launching a second, more comprehensive edition.

Integration between Egypt’s Vision 2030 and the government program

In this context, the Minister discussed the development of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) since their adoption by the United Nations in 2015, explaining that Egypt was one of the first countries to integrate these goals into a national framework by launching “Egypt Vision 2030” in 2016, then updating it in 2018.

Then the Minister of Planning, Economic Development and International Cooperation indicated that global changes since 2020 have negatively affected the path of development in most countries of the world, which necessitated the formulation of a new national narrative that achieves integration between Vision 2030 and the government’s work program, taking into account the current economic context and the major investments made in infrastructure.

She also explained that the narrative is based on a clear legislative reference, represented by the Unified Public Finance Law and the General Planning Law issued in 2022, which defined the role of integrated development planning and linking national, regional and sectoral plans to macroeconomic policies, with a shift to preparing a medium-term plan according to the program and performance methodology for the first time.

Linking development performance to finance

The Minister noted that the essence of the national narrative for comprehensive development is the link between comprehensive development in Egypt and financial performance, through the application of program budgeting and performance, and adopting the concept of comprehensive strategic planning based on quality policies.

She indicated that the second version of the narrative will cover various service sectors, such as health, education, and social protection, while monitoring its targets in all governorates of the Republic, in a way that supports spatial justice and improves the quality of life of citizens. All of this is part of efforts to achieve comprehensive development in Egypt.

Spatial justice and localization of development

The Minister of Planning stressed that spatial justice and regional planning occupy an advanced position among the priorities of the narrative, through localizing development and exploiting the competitive advantages of each governorate. She cited the growth of textile exports as a result of the expansion of ready-made clothing factories in Upper Egypt governorates, stressing that investment plans take into account the economic characteristics of each region.

Dr. Rania Al-Mashat touched on the state’s efforts to establish integrated development clusters in Sinai, in addition to the huge investments in ports, roads and infrastructure, which contributed to attracting new industries in governorates such as Sohag and Minya.

Public Investment Governance

With regard to the governance of public investments, the Minister of Planning explained that setting a ceiling on public spending contributed to making more space available to the private sector, which now represents about 65% of total investments, with the goal of raising this percentage to more than 70% by 2030.

She also indicated that the sectors of industry, tourism, communications, and information technology are leading Egyptian economic growth through a pivotal role played by the private sector in the fields of production and export, within “Egypt Vision 2030.”

Supply chains and financial sustainability

Regarding integration into global supply chains, she pointed to the rapid development of the Suez Canal Economic Zone, and its attracting diverse investments in the fields of technology and advanced industries, stressing that the narrative includes a plan to advance the industry with a focus on 28 priority industries in which Egypt enjoys a competitive advantage and growing international demand.

In the same context, she stressed that international cooperation represents a fundamental pillar of the Egyptian development experience, noting that this experience was documented in a book on economic diplomacy, in addition to devoting an entire chapter to the narrative of international partnerships, especially with African countries, and the role of joint committees in opening new horizons for investment and trade.

At the conclusion of the symposium, the Minister stressed that enhancing social justice and increasing incomes are linked to restructuring the economy and raising productivity, which expands the state’s financial space and allows increased spending on education, health, and investment in human capital, as it is the basis for improving the standard of living of citizens and enhancing the competitiveness of the Egyptian economy.

In light of this proposal,Earth Defenders Foundation believes that the national narrative for comprehensive development represents an advanced step in reorganizing development thinking in Egypt. Therefore, the Foundation emphasizes that the link between planning and public finance must be complemented by a clear system of accountability and measurement of social and environmental impacts, so that performance indicators do not turn into an end in themselves instead of being a means to achieve justice and sustainability.

From this standpoint,The Foundation considers the Cairo International Book Fair a public space for discussion, and a rare opportunity to transform development from a governmental discourse into an ongoing community dialogue, in which the relationship between the state and society is reformulated on the basis of transparency, participation, and shared responsibility for the future of comprehensive development in Egypt.