Mashat: WB demographic report sets 6 political, strategic priorities complying with national strategies

Minister of International Cooperation Rania El Mashat, Egypt’s governor at the World Bank, said the demographic report issued by the World Bank under the title of “Achieving the Demographic Dividend in the Arab Republic of Egypt : Choice, Not Destiny” has set six political and strategic priorities topped by managing population growth through key investments in family planning (FP) and reproductive health, ending school dropouts and increasing women involvement in manpower, extending the social protection programs as well as improving governance of population programs.

She said the report complies with the State’s national strategies and the presidential initiatives such as “Decent Life” that was launched in January 2019 and the National Family Development Project launched in February 2022.
“These priorities aim to increase the contraceptive prevalence rate (the most important of the six), reduce school dropouts, increase female labor force participation, delay early marriage, leverage social protection programs, and improve governance of the country’s population program. The four imperatives aim to assure broad-based socioeconomic development and they include creating productive jobs; investing in and leveraging human capital; enhancing financial inclusion and entrepreneurship, especially for women; and sustaining macroeconomic stability. The president’s “Decent Life Initiative” and the “National Project for the Development of the Egyptian Family” can be used as the platform to implement many of the proposed policies and strategies. In such a manner, Egypt will be back on track to achieve its demographic dividend.” according to the report.
Mashat’s remarks were made on the fringe of launching the demographic report on Egypt in the presence of visiting Vice President for Human Development at the World Bank Mamta Murthi and Country Director for Egypt, Yemen and Djibouti Marina Wes, Housing Minister Khaled Abdel Khafar, Minister of Social Solidarity Nivene El Qabbaj, Minister of Education Reda Hegazi and Deputy Minister of Planning and Economic Development Ahmed Kamali.
Mashat, on her part, welcomed the World Bank group over its fruitful cooperation and efforts to support development plans in Egypt over the past years, noting that the World Bank portfolio hit dlrs 6.8 billion which are channeled to the implementation of 14 projects.
She said Egypt’s development partnership with the development partners including the World Bank has been crystallized through pivotal strategic cooperation that comprises technical assistance and building capabilities, noting that this partnership aims at propelling the growth of the private sector and enhancing its influential involvement in the economy along with supporting Egypt’s efforts to achieve a transition to green economy and sustainable growth.