Samar El-Sayed_ Dr. Ahmed Rostom, Minister of Planning and Economic Development, participated in a high-level panel discussion entitled "Private Investment in Skills Development in the Era of Artificial Intelligence," held as part of the intensive events of the Annual Meetings of the World Bank Group and the International Monetary Fund in the Thai capital, Bangkok.
At the outset of his speech, Dr. Ahmed Rostom confirmed that the Egyptian state places investment in human capital at the top of its priorities, highlighting the noticeable improvement in Egypt's ranking in the Global Human Development Report 2025, where it advanced to join the "High Human Development Countries," surpassing the average for developing and Arab nations.
The Minister of Planning and Economic Development explained that this achievement came as a result of the continuous increase in allocations directed to the education and health sectors, alongside an unprecedented expansion in establishing technology schools to graduate generations capable of keeping pace with radical transformations in the labor market.
The Minister of Planning and Economic Development addressed the questions raised by the growing role of artificial intelligence, affirming that modern technology is designed to enhance human capabilities, efficiency, and productivity, rather than replace them. He stressed that Egypt adopts an integrated policy framework to address skills gaps and promote synergy between human capabilities and technology, ensuring the enhanced competitiveness of the national economy in line with "Egypt Vision 2030."
Dr. Rostom pointed out that creating an environment conducive to investing in skills requires genuine engagement with the private sector. Thus, the state is working to activate "Sector Skills Councils" across several priority sectors. These councils allow employers to directly participate in setting professional competency standards and designing training programs, ensuring that educational outcomes are aligned with the actual needs of institutions.
Dr. Ahmed Rostom commended the success of the Ministry of Education's experience in expanding "Applied Technology Schools," which blend academic education with practical on-site training inside private industrial and commercial facilities.
Labor Market Information System and Occupational Forecasting
Regarding data governance, the Minister of Planning and Economic Development revealed Egypt's cooperation with international partners to develop a comprehensive Labor Market Information System (LMIS). He noted the launch of the "Egyptian Portal for Occupational Forecasting," in cooperation with the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ), the Ministry of Education, and the Ministry of Planning and Economic Development. The portal provides accurate data on 147 occupations covering 98.2% of employment sectors and tracks employment trends up to the year 2030, serving as a roadmap for students, job seekers, and policymakers.
Dr. Ahmed Rostom concluded his speech by reviewing the pillars of the "100 Million Learners" initiative, recently launched by the Ministry in cooperation with the Thunderbird School of Global Management at Arizona State University, as part of the "El Alamein – Africa 2026" events under the auspices of President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi. The initiative aims to provide advanced educational tracks in management, leadership, entrepreneurship, and innovation to reach 100 million learners by 2030, emphasizing that sustainable economic development cannot be achieved in isolation from building a workforce equipped with the tools of the future.
