Ahmed Rustam, Egypt's Minister of Planning and Economic Development, proudly announced a remarkable 5.1% growth in the country's economy for the fiscal year 2025/2026. He made this announcement at a meeting attended by high-ranking officials during the fourth edition of Egypt's Entrepreneurship Forum, themed "Data × Innovation: Reimagining the Future of Entrepreneurship in Egypt."
Growth Amid Challenges
Rustam stated that Egypt's economic growth rate has increased from 4.4% in the previous fiscal year, surpassing even the predictions of international institutions. He emphasized that "the real strength of this performance lies not only in the overall number but also in the quality and sources of this growth." According to him, the industrial, commercial, and information and communication technology (ICT) sectors accounted for about 48% of the total growth.
The Minister of Planning also referred to the strong performance of non-oil industries, attributing this success to the government's efforts to strengthen the country's production foundations. He stressed the need to continue efforts to control inflation and create more job opportunities, noting that the annual inflation rate decreased to 12.7% in August 2026.
Government and Future Investment
Rustam pointed to the quality of Egypt's economic data, which has been validated by international institutions, adding that the country has learned from previous economic crises and has coped well with them. He also announced the government's goal to increase the share of private investment from 59% to 64% by 2030. These investments are expected from various sectors such as ICT and logistics, particularly in the Suez Canal economic zone.
The Minister of Planning reported on the government's efforts to resolve overdue debts to foreign companies and the positive impact of these actions on the growth of the oil sector. He emphasized the necessity of developing new financial instruments to embrace greater risks and provide development opportunities.
Rustam also highlighted the importance of the entrepreneurial ecosystem and the role of startups as drivers of digital transformation and the creation of future jobs. He stated that the Ministerial Entrepreneurship Group is working to create a flexible and facilitating environment for expanding private sector collaborations and strengthening the venture capital investment ecosystem.
In conclusion, Rustam clarified that the government's goals extend beyond achieving high growth rates and focus on implementing a comprehensive program for economic transformation that emphasizes competitiveness and the expansion of private investment in five key sectors, including industry, agriculture and food processing, tourism, ICT, and energy security.
