Egypt aims to increase the private sector’s share of total national investments to 67% by 2030, up from 57.7% in the 2025/2026 fiscal year and 43.1% in 2023/2024, Minister of Planning and Economic Development Ahmed Rostom announced.
Speaking at a panel discussion titled “Africa’s Promising Future: Structural Reforms, Trade Integration, and Private Sector-Led Growth” during the 81st Annual Meetings of the World Bank Group and International Monetary Fund in Bangkok, Rostom said the government plans to achieve this target by implementing its State Ownership Policy, ensuring competitive neutrality, streamlining administrative procedures, and expanding single-window services for investors.
Rostom stated that the Egyptian economy registered a real GDP growth rate of 5.1% in the 2025/2026 fiscal year. He added that total foreign exchange assets reached $73.1bn, while the overall balance of payments recorded a surplus of $6.4bn over the same period.
In the energy sector, the minister noted that the full settlement of arrears owed to international oil companies in June 2026 helped restore confidence in Egypt’s energy market. He said Egypt is expanding renewable energy projects in partnership with the private sector, targeting a 42% share of clean energy in its energy mix by 2030.
Addressing broader regional issues, Rostom argued that Africa has historically been treated primarily as a source of raw agricultural goods and minerals without sufficient local industrial processing. He stressed the importance of industrial deepening across the continent to capture higher value-add, strengthen supply chains, and generate local energy and employment.
“For decades, Africa remained treated as a food basket, without achieving sufficient industrial deepening,” Rostom said. “The real challenge for Africa lies in the speed of converting structural reforms into sustainable job opportunities for youth.”
Rostom also highlighted the Infrastructure Financing Guarantee Mechanism as a practical framework for regional cooperation to attract investment into major development projects. He cited the full implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), the simplification of customs procedures, cross-border electrical interconnections, and green hydrogen initiatives as critical elements for regional value chain integration and energy security.
