Opening Remarks / Panel Discussion Dr. Mohamed Farid Saleh, Minister of Investment and Foreign Trade (MIFT). Ministers and officials responsible for economic and service-related portfolios in the Egyptian government. Representatives of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and International Policy Experts. Representatives of international financial institutions and development partners. Egypt–OECD Country Programme Closing Conference: Advancing Growth and Digital Competitiveness As part of the panel discussion titled “Enhancing Economic Growth, Competitiveness, and Private Sector Support in the Digital Era,” the event presented a strategic vision for the government’s efforts to drive a comprehensive transformation of the business environment, based on full digitalization, data-driven governance, and digital Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). Discussions addressed mechanisms for streamlining procedures to integrate the Egyptian economy into global value chains, while maximizing international partnerships to position Egypt as a regional hub for smart manufacturing, supported by institutional integration and human capital development aimed at localizing technology and knowledge in line with the highest international standards. In his remarks, Dr. Mohamed Farid, MIFT Minister, stated that the Ministry is working on designing a smart investor journey beginning with the activation of the digital identity system (e-KYC) to enable remote transaction completion and instant licensing services, in line with the joint understandings reached with international entities during the recent visit to Washington. The Minister explained that enhancing export competitiveness hinges on launching the “Foreign Trade Procedures Portal” as a unified digital platform aimed at reducing logistics costs, digitizing supply chains, and providing real-time data to support foreign currency inflows. The Minister added that improving transparency levels also includes the continuous development of the Egyptian Accounting Standards to align with international standards, considering this a key gateway for integrating small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) into the formal economy as active partners in supply chains. He concluded by emphasizing that citizens remain the ultimate beneficiaries of these reforms, noting that true success is measured by the extent to which high-quality investments contribute to job creation and improvements in daily living standards. Key Sectors: Digital Governance and Economic Policies Digital Identity (e-KYC) and Foreign Trade Accounting Standards and Transparency Integration of SMEs Key Speakers and participants: Representatives of the Executive Board of the OECD. A distinguished group of economic and investment policy experts from international institutions. Heads of delegations from authorities and sectors affiliated with the Ministry of Investment and Foreign Trade. Leaders and representatives of the business community and the private sector.