Egypt’s Minister of Planning and Economic Development officially approves integration of the Egypt Impact Evaluation Lab into the National Institute for Governance and Sustainable Development

A group of people seated in an audience with their backs to the camera are looking at a stage on which a speaker is presenting a slide show about the launch of the Egypt Impact Lab.
Policymakers and researchers gather for the launch of the Egypt Impact Lab in March 2022.
Photo: J-PAL

Cairo, Egypt—Dr. Hala El Said, Minister of Planning and Economic Development, has officially approved the integration of the Egypt Impact Lab (EIL) into the organizational structure of the National Institute for Governance and Sustainable Development - the ministry's training arm - to support evidence-based policies and interventions, and improve development outcomes.

The Lab is a joint partnership between J-PAL Middle East and North Africa and the Ministry of Planning and Economic Development (MPED), supported by the Sawiris Foundation, Community Jameel, and Co-Impact. The Lab works to enhance the effectiveness of poverty reduction policies in Egypt by evaluating promising and innovative government programs and using the results to make decisions regarding scaling up the implementation of various projects. It also works on building a culture of evidence-based policies by boosting partners' capacity to use evidence in designing and implementing programs and using data to facilitate evidence production.

Dr. Sherifa Sherif, the Executive Director of the National Institute for Governance and Sustainable Development (NIGSD), affirmed the institute's commitment to monitoring and enhancing Egypt's status in governance, competitiveness, and sustainable development indicators. She pointed out, “The Lab's inclusion in the institute’s organizational structure highlights its important role in implementing evidence-based policies, enhancing development efforts for the state, and providing comprehensive support bridging research and policies for positive social change.” 

George Richards, Director of Community Jameel, noted, “By formally integrating the Egypt Impact Lab into the Ministry of Planning and Economic Development, the Egyptian government has demonstrated its firm commitment to strengthening evidence-based policymaking in fighting poverty and, through the Lab’s new Hub of Advanced Policy Innovation for the Environment (HAPIE) initiative, in tackling the effects of climate change in Egypt. Through the close collaboration of J-PAL MENA and the Ministry, the Egypt Impact Lab has quickly grown into a powerful platform for impact at scale, and Community Jameel is thrilled to be supporting this initiative alongside the American University in Cairo, the Sawiris Foundation, UNICEF Egypt and Co-Impact.”

Nora Selim, Executive Director of the Sawiris Foundation for Social Development, highlighted that the efforts of EIL and MPED come in light of many development opportunities and challenges that require knowledge acquired through evaluative research. She noted, “Therefore, we see investing in the Egypt Impact Lab as a pioneering opportunity that is in line with the priorities of the Egyptian Government in building an innovative and knowledgeable society. We at Sawiris Foundation are proud to be part of the journey of the Egypt Impact Lab and we are pleased to continue our cooperation with the Ministry of Planning  in providing impact assessments and generating scientific evidence, which contributes to decision-making and formulating public policies.”

Dr. Ahmed El Sayed, Executive Director of J-PAL MENA at the American University in Cairo (AUC), highlighted the Egyptian government's initiation of several important initiatives to alleviate poverty and promote social development, indicating a pivotal moment in the country's economic and social trajectory. He emphasized, “The Egypt Impact Lab is committed to generating strong empirical evidence to identify the most effective approaches to achieving development outcomes. The official integration of the Lab into the ministry's structure represents a landmark in this collective endeavor.”

A collaboration between MPED and the Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab Middle East and North Africa (J-PAL MENA) at the American University in Cairo (AUC), the Egypt Impact Lab was launched in 2022 to strengthen the effectiveness of Egypt’s poverty reduction policies by rigorously evaluating promising and innovative government programs and using results to inform scale decisions.  The Egypt Impact Lab is made possible with generous support from founding partners the Sawiris Foundation for Social Development and Community Jameel, with additional support from UNICEF Egypt. The Lab is a flagship project of J-PAL's Evidence-to-Scale initiative, supported by Co-Impact and Community Jameel.

The Egypt Impact Lab’s work centers on top government priorities, including reducing poverty in rural Egypt; improving the effectiveness of social protection; promoting microenterprise development; increasing access to economic opportunities and family planning to empower females; and promoting a green economy. The Lab works with strategic partners including the Ministry of Social Solidarity, the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency, the National Council for Women, and the NIGSD. More recently, the Hub of Advanced Policy Innovations for the Environment (HAPIE) has been launched with support from Community Jameel as an extension of EIL to tackle issues related to the environment, energy, and climate change.

Media contact: Reham Rizk, Director, Egypt Impact Lab