President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi said Egypt is committed to the success of the partnership programme with the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) as an inseparable ingredient of the economic reform programme and regional integration through coordination among state institutions.

The president’s statements came during a meeting on Monday with UNIDO Director-General Li Yong in Sharm El-Sheikh.

President El-Sisi said he appreciates the role the UN body plays to boost cooperation in various domains, especially in small and medium enterprises in Egypt and in other fields, such as food security and support of the private sector's competitiveness. 

The UNIDO director-general said he was happy to meet El-Sisi in the light of the economic boom Egypt has been witnessing, pointing out that the president was one of the figures that follows up actively UNIDO activities and the implementation of the Third Industrial Development Decade for Africa, which coincided with Egypt’s presidency of the African Union.

The UNIDO head praised Egypt’s commitment to supporting industrial development projects in Africa following the gaps in the development process which must be dealt with by international donors.

Presidential Spokesman Bassam Rady said the meeting witnessed talks on means to boost sustainable development in Egypt and Africa and efforts exerted to develop the UN organisation to transfer expertise and technologies to secure the Sustainable Development Goals.