Egypt, EIB Boost Cooperation to Enhance Private Sector Engagement

Egypt is intensifying its moves to boost the activities of the private sector in the country (Reuters)
Egypt is intensifying its moves to boost the activities of the private sector in the country (Reuters)
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Egypt, EIB Boost Cooperation to Enhance Private Sector Engagement

Egypt is intensifying its moves to boost the activities of the private sector in the country (Reuters)
Egypt is intensifying its moves to boost the activities of the private sector in the country (Reuters)

Egyptian Minister of International Cooperation Rania Al-Mashat said that the fruitful cooperation with the European Investment Bank (EIB) is reinforcing joint development efforts and therefore the private sector's growth.

EIB Vice President Gelsomina Vigliotti will be heading on a four-day visit to Egypt to strengthen cooperation with Egyptian public and private partners and discuss future EIB priority investments in many sectors.

This will be Vigliotti’s first high-level visit to Egypt as EIB VP for the Mashreq region since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Over the last 41 years, the EIB has provided more than €14 billion for energy, water, agriculture, telecom, transport, and private sector investment in Egypt.

Last year, the EIB provided more than €1bn for business, telecom, and transport investment in Egypt.

“The EIB is a key partner for Egypt, and I welcome VP Vigliotti on her first official visit to our country,” said Al-Mashat.

“The EIB and the EU Bank is committed to supporting transformational private and public investment across Egypt, improving access to finance by entrepreneurs and addressing the challenges of a changing climate.

Egypt is the leading country of operation for the EIB outside of Europe. My financial and technical colleagues and I look forward to discussing how to strengthen economic resilience to existing and new challenges and enhancing the impact of future EIB engagement in Egypt,” said Vigliotti.

Mashat also met virtually with Sonja Gibbs, Managing Director and Head of Sustainable Finance for the Institute of International Finance, in the attendance of Wolfgang Engel, General Manager & Chief Representative - Institute of International Finance.

Mashat discussed suggestions for joint cooperation with the Institute, under the framework of Egypt presiding the COP27.



UN Predicts World Economic Growth to Remain at 2.8% in 2025

A vegetable vendor sits beside a bonfire on his handcart on a cold winter evening in New Delhi on January 6, 2025. (Photo by Sajjad HUSSAIN / AFP)
A vegetable vendor sits beside a bonfire on his handcart on a cold winter evening in New Delhi on January 6, 2025. (Photo by Sajjad HUSSAIN / AFP)
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UN Predicts World Economic Growth to Remain at 2.8% in 2025

A vegetable vendor sits beside a bonfire on his handcart on a cold winter evening in New Delhi on January 6, 2025. (Photo by Sajjad HUSSAIN / AFP)
A vegetable vendor sits beside a bonfire on his handcart on a cold winter evening in New Delhi on January 6, 2025. (Photo by Sajjad HUSSAIN / AFP)

Global economic growth is projected to remain at 2.8% in 2025, unchanged from 2024, held back by the top two economies, the US and China, according to a United Nations report released on Thursday.

The World Economic Situation and Prospects report said that "positive but somewhat slower growth forecasts for China and the United States" will be complemented by modest recoveries in the European Union, Japan, and Britain and robust performance in some large developing economies, notably India and Indonesia.

"Despite continued expansion, the global economy is projected to grow at a slower pace than the 2010–2019 (pre-pandemic) average of 3.2%," according to the report by the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs.

"This subdued performance reflects ongoing structural challenges such as weak investment, slow productivity growth, high debt levels, and demographic pressures," Reuters quoted it as saying.

The report said US growth was expected to moderate from 2.8% last year to 1.9% in 2025 as the labor market softens and consumer spending slows.

It said growth in China was estimated at 4.9% for 2024 and projected to be 4.8% this year with public sector investments and a strong export performance partly offset by subdued consumption growth and lingering property sector weakness.
Europe was expected to recover modestly with growth increasing from 0.9% in 2024 to 1.3% in 2025, "supported by easing inflation and resilient labor markets," the report said.

South Asia is expected to remain the world’s fastest-growing region, with regional GDP projected to expand by 5.7% in 2025 and 6% in 2026, supported by a strong performance by India and economic recoveries in Bhutan, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, the report said.

India, the largest economy in South Asia, is forecast to grow by 6.6% in 2025 and 6.8% in 2026, driven by robust private consumption and investment.
The report said major central banks are likely to further reduce interest rates in 2025 as inflationary pressures ease. Global inflation is projected to decline from 4% in 2024 to 3.4% in 2025, offering some relief to households and businesses.
It calls for bold multilateral action to tackle interconnected crises, including debt, inequality, and climate change.
"Monetary easing alone will not be sufficient to reinvigorate global growth or address widening disparities," the report added.