Egypt, Japan discuss economic cooperation ahead of TICAD conference in Cairo
Updated 8/17/2025 2:48:00 AM
Arab Finance: Egyptian Minister of Planning and Economic Development, and International Cooperation, Rania Al-Mashat met in Cairo with Fumio Iwai, Japan’s ambassador to Egypt, and Ebisawa Yu, chief representative of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), to discuss strengthening bilateral economic ties and preparations for the Ninth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD), scheduled to take place in Cairo from August 20th–22nd, as per a statement.
Al-Mashat praised the long-standing partnership between Egypt and Japan, which spans over seventy years and was elevated to a strategic partnership during former Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s visit to Cairo in April 2023.
She highlighted cooperation in key areas including education, health, scientific research, green transition, and investment in human capital, while also noting the role of Japanese financial institutions in supporting private sector development.
The two sides reviewed ongoing joint projects, including the Grand Egyptian Museum, expected to open in November, and the fourth phase of the Greater Cairo Metro.
Discussions also focused on TICAD’s role in deepening African-Japanese relations, strengthening South-South cooperation, and creating partnerships that support sustainable development across the continent.
Al-Mashat emphasized Egypt’s commitment to exploring new opportunities for investment and cooperation between Egypt, Japan, and African countries, particularly in renewable energy, where Egypt has experience to share with regional partners.
She noted the government’s efforts to expand climate action, attract green investments, and enhance private sector participation in areas such as energy, food, and water security under the “NWFE” program.
She further stressed the importance of increased involvement from Japanese private sector players, JICA, and the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) in supporting Egypt’s economic diversification and financing priorities.
Partnerships in industrial localization, human capital development, sustainable infrastructure, and advanced technologies, including artificial intelligence, were identified as areas of future cooperation.
Japan remains one of Egypt’s most important Asian development partners, with a cooperation portfolio that includes 18 projects worth around $7.2 billion in development funding and $2.4 billion in technical support and grants.
Current projects cover renewable energy, electricity, transportation, aviation, antiquities, irrigation, education, and health.
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