Talks with WB to develop public, private sectors

T"A series of economic talks with World Bank (WB) representatives is expected to begin on 24 July to discuss ways of developing the role of the private and public sectors in increasing production, investment and export," director of Egypt's Department at the WB, Mahmoud Ayoub, said yesterday.

WB's Deputy Director for private sector affairs, Nemant Shafiq, will arrive in Cairo yesterday to begin an eight-day official visit, during which he will hold talks with senior Egyptian officials, Ayoub announced.

The joint talks will focus on increasing the private sector's contribution to the mega-infrastructure projects and encouraging private firms to invest in new development fields such as health and education, added Ayoub.

Talks with senior Egyptian officials will focus on the government's incentives offered to the private sector to encourage them to invest in new fields such as health and education, added Ayoub.

"The visit is part of the WB policy to hold direct talks with developing countries based on transparency," said Ayoub.

The WB is scheduled to issue a report by the end of this year on its strategy for the private sector in various countries Ayoub concluded.