Egypt’s participation in Davos… supporting Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and promoting African growth

The global economy is witnessing a set of profound transformations, along with some increasing challenges to traditional growth paths. Therefore,Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) emerge as the guiding framework for redirecting economic policies towards achieving more inclusive and sustainable growth, based on enhancing productivity, building capacities, and creating job opportunities. In this context, Egypt is keen to employ the tools of international cooperation and regional integration to support sustainable development efforts, especially within the African continent, in a way that contributes to confronting common challenges and turning them into real opportunities for growth.

This trend reflects the active participation of Dr. Rania Al-Mashat, Minister of Planning, Economic Development and International Cooperation, in the activities of the World Economic Forum in Davos, where she reviewed Egypt’s vision for Africa’s future and economic growth, based on deepening intra-African trade, strengthening regional value chains, and pushing the shift towards a more competitive and sustainable growth model, based on productivity and value-added creation.

Real opportunities for the African continent

In her speech, Dr. Rania Al-Mashat emphasized that the policies that we are witnessing today strongly create real opportunities for the African continent, by encouraging companies to transform and resettle their activities within the continent, and benefiting from the large demographic dividend in light of the huge market, especially African youth, the available skills, and the ability to push the boundaries of manufacturing forward through technology.

She also confirmed that in the Egyptian case, the Egyptian economy is shifting towards an economic model that benefits from the advanced infrastructure that has been implemented over the past ten years, to create a more competitive economy capable of providing job opportunities, and encouraging industry, investment and export, noting that intra-African trade is still at modest levels compared to major economic blocs such as the European Union, which highlights the need to accelerate the pace of economic integration and deepen trade ties within the continent.

She pointed out that the payments system contributes significantly to the success of the intra-regional trade system, and in this regard we must praise the role of regional banks within the continent, including the African Development Bank and the African Export-Import Bank, which also play a pivotal role by providing financing, guarantees and facilities to encourage trade.

Efforts of the Ministry of Investment and Foreign Trade

In the same context, the Minister praised the efforts of the Ministry of Investment and Foreign Trade, represented in creating consensus among trade ministers within the framework of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement, on the rules of origin, especially the textile and clothing sectors, as well as cars and their parts, in a way that enhances intra-trade between the countries of the continent, which reflects the ongoing Egyptian efforts to achieve sustainable development on the continent and encourage economic and trade relations between different countries. She also indicated Egypt’s accession to the African payment and settlement system, which contributes to strengthening cooperation. Economic and trade between the countries of the continent.

Suez Canal Economic Zone

Al-Mashat also touched on the Suez Canal Economic Zone, which is a pivotal element in Egypt’s strategy for the African Continental Free Trade Agreement and regional value chains, as it combines the capacity for industrial production and world-class logistics services within one geographical scope, making it easier for companies to import inputs, add value, and quickly re-export to African markets.

Al-Mashat continued: The Suez Canal Economic Zone represents the platform that turns integration into a commercial reality by reducing the time to reach the market, and supports large-scale production for tradable sectors, as well as helping Egypt to be a competitive collection, processing and transshipment point that connects suppliers and consumers in Africa when coupled with digital customs and trade facilitation.

The future of global economic growth

In another context, Dr. Rania Al-Mashat participated in a high-level session entitled “The Future of Growth” to discuss the ongoing transformations in the global economic system, in light of the receding phase of deep uncertainty, and the emergence of the features of a new economic system, to deal with interconnected global challenges, within the activities of the World Economic Forum – Davos 2026, which was held during the period from January 19 to 23.

The session witnessed high-level participation by a number of senior international policymakers and economic experts, including Dr. Geeta Gopinath, Professor of Economics at Harvard University, and Dr. Ricardo Hausmann, global economist, founder and director of the Growth Lab at Harvard University, along with prominent academics from international universities and research centers, and heads of financial institutions and international companies, while the session was moderated by Mrs. Saadia Zahedi, Executive Director of the Economic Forum. Global.

Dr. Rania Al-Mashat confirmed that the discussions highlighted the low levels of readiness for economic flexibility globally, stressing that flexibility has become a basic condition for attracting investment and enhancing productivity and competitiveness in a way that contributes to achieving sustainable development.

In light of the above, the importance of adopting new development models capable of adapting to global changes and maximizing the use of available resources and opportunities is emphasized. In this context, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) represent a practical framework for rebuilding growth paths on more comprehensive and sustainable foundations, balancing between achieving economic growth, creating job opportunities, and promoting social justice.

The vision presented by Egypt during its participation in the Davos Forum reflects a deep awareness of the nature of the stage, and an effort to strengthen its regional role in supporting the process of sustainable development on the African continent, by deepening economic integration, enhancing intra-trade, and developing regional value chains, in a way that contributes to transforming African potential into a real productive force.

The Earth Guards Foundation appreciates Egypt’s tireless efforts to consolidate its position as a major development partner in the African continent, working to advance the sustainable development agenda from theory to application, and from ambition to tangible economic reality.