Photo courtesy of Egypt's foreign ministry
Abdelatty participated in the 35th annual meeting of the EBRD Board of Governors on Saturday in his capacity as Egypt's governor to the bank.
The Egyptian minister warned that ongoing conflicts and geopolitical tensions are weighing heavily on global trade, supply chains, energy markets and financing conditions, with developing countries bearing the brunt of the impact.
He highlighted the growing challenges facing African and developing economies, including rising borrowing costs, mounting debt burdens and limited access to concessional finance, according to a foreign ministry statement.
He stressed the need to strengthen the role of multilateral development institutions in addressing emerging economic risks.
Abdelatty also underscored the importance of deeper regional economic integration across Africa to support sustainable growth and unlock new investment opportunities.
The minister praised the EBRD's support for private-sector development, sustainable infrastructure, energy security and essential services, saying such efforts help strengthen economic resilience.
Additionally, he welcomed the bank's Conflict Response Initiative for the Middle East, describing it as an example of the importance of coordinated multilateral action in responding to regional and global challenges.
Abdelatty's remarks come as many developing economies face mounting fiscal pressures from higher global interest rates, elevated debt-servicing costs and weaker access to international financing
International financial institutions have repeatedly warned that debt vulnerabilities in low- and middle-income countries could constrain growth and investment, particularly in Africa.
The World Bank estimates that external debt owed by low- and middle-income countries reached a record $8.8 trillion in 2023, while debt-servicing costs hit an all-time high of $1.4 trillion.
Between 2022 and 2024, developing countries paid out $741 billion more in debt repayments and interest than they received in new financing, highlighting mounting strains on public finances.
In April, the EBRD launched a conflict response program targeting up to €5 billion in investments in 2026, as the ongoing war in the Middle East disrupts trade routes and fuels energy shocks.
Egypt has been one of the EBRD's largest countries of operation in recent years, with the lender supporting projects across renewable energy, infrastructure, private-sector development and financial services.
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