Egypt is seeking to expand intra-Arab trade and open new marketing horizons for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) through enhanced bilateral cooperation, the head of the country’s SME agency said during a visit by a high-level Sudanese delegation.

Basel Rahmi, Chief Executive Officer of the Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprise Development Agency (MSMEDA), hosted officials from Sudan’s transitional cabinet, the ministries of finance and justice, and the Central Bank of Sudan at the agency’s headquarters in Cairo. The meeting focused on exchanging expertise regarding the mechanisms of providing services to the small business sector and enhancing institutional capacities to provide sustainable employment for youth in both countries.

Rahmi stated that the agency is working to implement directives from Prime Minister and MSMEDA Chairman Mustafa Madbouly to consolidate cooperation with Arab counterparts. He noted that the objective is to share expertise in development and economic programmes related to employment and job creation.

The Sudanese delegation’s visit aimed to review the Egyptian experience in supporting and developing micro, small, and medium enterprises. Rahmi described MSMEDA as a regional “house of expertise” and expressed the agency’s commitment to transferring Egyptian legislative and regulatory frameworks to Sudan to assist in the establishment of a Sudanese national MSME system.

During the talks, Rahmi outlined MSMEDA’s role in executing national policies for entrepreneurship and financial inclusion. He specifically highlighted the implementation of Law No. 152 of 2020, which governs the development of MSMEs and provides various legislative, financing, tax, and procedural incentives designed to foster a supportive business environment.

The CEO also detailed the agency’s coordination with various government entities to apply the provisions of the law, presenting models of successful practices implemented at both national and regional levels.

The visit programme included working sessions on MSMEDA’s institutional and regulatory framework, as well as the design of financial and non-financial support programmes. The Sudanese delegation visited the agency’s Cairo regional office to observe field services and “one-stop shop” mechanisms, which include procedures for obtaining financing. The delegation also conducted field visits to small projects benefiting from MSMEDA services to assess the developmental impact and competitiveness of these enterprises.

© 2026 Daily News Egypt. Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (Syndigate.info).