Monday, 25 May 2026
Egypt and Japan strengthen economic ties ahead of TICAD 9
Egypt’s Minister of Planning, Economic Development, and International Cooperation, Dr. Rania Al-Mashat, met with Japan’s Ambassador to Egypt, Fumio Iwai, and JICA’s Chief Representative, Ebisawa Yo, to discuss enhancing bilateral economic relations and preparations for the Ninth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD 9), set for August 20-22, 2025.
Dr. Al-Mashat highlighted the deep-rooted Egyptian-Japanese partnership, spanning over 70 years, and its elevation to a strategic partnership following former Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s visit to Egypt in April 2023. The meeting focused on advancing sustainable development in key sectors like education, health, human capital, and green energy, with a strong emphasis on private sector investment through innovative financing from Japanese institutions like JICA and JBIC.
The discussions also covered Egypt’s participation in TICAD 9, which aims to foster African-Japanese partnerships and trilateral cooperation for sustainable development across Africa. Dr. Al-Mashat stressed the potential for new economic and investment opportunities, particularly in renewable energy, leveraging Egypt’s expertise for African nations with Japanese support.
Both sides expressed enthusiasm for upcoming milestones, including the Grand Egyptian Museum’s opening in November 2025 and the completion of Cairo’s Metro Line 4. Egypt’s ongoing collaboration with Japan includes 18 development projects, supported by $2.4 billion in grants and $7.2 billion in development financing, aligning with Egypt’s Vision 2030 and government priorities for 2024-2027.
Dr. Al-Mashat reiterated Egypt’s commitment to expanding green investments under the “NWFE” program (energy, food, and water) and enhancing private sector participation in sustainable infrastructure, industry localization, and advanced technologies like AI. The meeting underscored Japan’s role as a key development partner, with recent agreements signed in December 2024 to support private sector growth, economic diversification, and cultural projects like the Cairo Opera House equipment upgrade.