The World Bank’s global director for Urban, Disaster Risk Management, Resilience and Land Global Practice, Sameh Wahba, has said the institution is eager to upgrade cooperation programmes with the Egyptian government for the sake of pushing forward the economic reform process and attracting more domestic and foreign investment.

Wahba's statements came during a meeting held Wednesday between a WB delegation and Egyptian Minister of Trade and Industry Niven Gamee.

Wahba added that Egypt will host another WB delegation next week to discuss the latest updates of local development programmes in Upper Egypt, which are partially financed by the WB.

For her part, Gamee said that the ministry's current priority is to ease procedures for investors, local and foreign alike, adding that there are significant cooperation opportunities to be tapped in the future through cooperation with the WB in upgrading Egypt’s business climate, small and medium-sized enterprise support, infrastructure development in industrial zones, and enhancing Egypt's economic competitiveness.

A WB delegation is currently visiting Egypt to discuss national economic priorities in the coming phase, along with legislative and structural reforms that the government will adopt to empower the private sector and create job opportunities for young people.