CAIRO, May 13 (MENA) - Prime Minister Moustafa Madbouli reviewed efforts to enhance the sustainability of the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency (MSMEDA) and ensure the continued achievement of its goals and the implementation of its development activities.

This came during a meeting held on Tuesday in the presence of Minister of Finance Ahmed Kouchouk, CEO of MSMEDA Basil Rahmy, Head of the Infrastructure and Economic Affairs Budget Sector at the Ministry of Finance Ahmed Samir and Head of the General Budget Sector at the Ministry of Finance Waleed Abdullah.

During the meeting, Rahmy highlighted the agency’s key efforts to strengthen its sustainability and maintain progress toward its development goals, through the provision of both financial and non-financial services to target projects and the adoption of initiatives aligned with the state’s priorities for achieving sustainable development.

He also shed light on the major accomplishments in 2024 across various workstreams of the agency, including supporting productive and service activities, promoting exports and marketing handmade and artisanal products locally and internationally.

Rahmy emphasized the agency’s work to encourage the transition from the informal to the formal economy through awareness campaigns targeting informal clients, helping them meet legal requirements such as obtaining tax cards, commercial registrations and completing licensing procedures.

These efforts aim to enable informal businesses to benefit from incentive programs and facilitated financing, ensuring their sustainable integration into the formal economy, he said.

Rahmy also discussed the steps taken to update the national strategy for developing handicraft and heritage industries, along with areas of collaboration with several international organizations to boost the agency's role in implementing its diverse activities.

He reviewed preparations for organizing Turathna (Our Heritage) Expo 2025 and efforts to promote high-value cultural craft products, including plans to establish sales outlets for heritage products in the Giza Pyramids area and Cairo International Airport terminals.

He also mentioned the ongoing preparations for displaying handcrafted products in the Grand Egyptian Museum, which is currently finalizing arrangements for its grand opening. (MENA)

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