Finance Minister, meeting a group of international experts on the sidelines of the IMF and World Bank meetings in Bangkok:

  • Our priorities rest on building a "partnership of trust" with the business community, and on balancing economic momentum with fiscal discipline

  • The private sector is regaining its strength and leading economic growth at 5.1% despite global and regional challenges

  • We will maintain the momentum of growth-supportive reforms and use technology to simplify and improve tax, customs and real-estate services

  • We achieved a primary surplus of 4.9% of GDP, compared with a primary deficit of 3.4% in emerging markets

Finance Minister Ahmed Kouchouk said fiscal policy priorities rest on building a "partnership of trust" with the business community and on balancing economic activity and growth with stability and fiscal discipline. He noted that the private sector is regaining its momentum and strength and is leading economic growth, which reached 5.1% despite global and regional challenges.

Speaking at a meeting with a group of international experts on the sidelines of the IMF and World Bank meetings in Bangkok, the minister said Egypt leads Africa in attracting foreign direct investment for 2025. He added that the government will maintain the momentum of growth-supportive reforms and use technology to simplify and improve tax, customs and real-estate services.

The minister added that Egypt achieved a primary surplus of 4.9% of GDP, compared with a primary deficit of 3.4% in emerging markets, while the overall deficit fell to 5.8% of GDP, with a target of bringing it down to 4.9% by the end of June 2027.

The minister said the government aims to cut budget-sector debt to 78.1% of GDP in 2027, below the emerging-market average. It also aims to reduce debt service and increase spending on human development, particularly health and education. He noted that the budget sector's external debt has fallen by about USD 6.5 billion over 3 years.