Washington: Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and Expatriates Badr Abdelatty held talks on Tuesday, April 14, 2026, with World Bank (WB) Vice President for MENA Ousmane Dione during his visit to Washington to take part in the Spring Meetings of the WB and the International Monetary Fund.
According to State Information Service Egypt, the meeting was attended by Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs Hussein Issa and Planning and Economic Development Minister Ahmed Rostom. During the discussions, Abdelatty expressed appreciation for the WB president's recent visit to Egypt, emphasizing the importance of leveraging its outcomes to enhance joint cooperation frameworks. Priority sectors identified for this collaboration include healthcare, water resource management, tourism, food security, and agriculture.
Both parties explored opportunities to expand the technical support provided by the WB to Egypt in vital sectors. Discussions highlighted the development of an integrated national system for innovation and artificial intelligence, the promotion of the Suez Canal Economic Zone, improvements in energy efficiency, port upgrades, and support for industrial localization efforts.
The meeting also addressed the impact of ongoing regional military escalations on the global economy. Abdelatty noted Egypt's economic resilience, attributed to structural and monetary reforms, including the adoption of a flexible exchange rate regime. He emphasized the importance of strengthening the role of multilateral development banks in bridging the development financing gap through concessional financing and innovative financial tools to support sustainable economic transformation for developing countries.
Abdelatty highlighted the Aswan Forum for Sustainable Peace and Development as a leading African platform linking peace, security, and development. He expressed hope for the WB's participation in its sixth edition, focusing on development financing and poverty reduction amid current regional and global challenges.
Furthermore, Abdelatty voiced interest in enhancing cooperation with the WB to support sustainable water resource management and address water scarcity challenges. He mentioned the launch of Egypt's Nile Basin project financing mechanism and reviewed the country's water challenges, stressing the state's commitment to rationalize water use and modernize irrigation systems in agriculture.
Abdelatty also stressed the need to maintain international focus on the reconstruction of Gaza as a pillar for achieving stability and peace. He praised the WB's expertise in this area and expressed hope for continued support through efficient management of donor funds and technical advice for priority projects aimed at improving living conditions for the Palestinian people.
In response, Dione commended the existing cooperation with Egypt and expressed appreciation for the state's measures to address the economic repercussions of the current crisis. He affirmed the WB's readiness to provide further support, particularly in tourism, innovative financing, and renewable energy, contributing to job creation and strengthening the private sector's role.