Al-Mashat Sresses Importance of Partnership with UNDP to Promote SDGs

Dr. Rania Al-Mashat, Minister of International Cooperation, met with Alessandro Fracasetti, the resident representative of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in Egypt.

The meeting witnessed the discussion of many areas of joint cooperation between the Egyptian government and the program in light of the state’s strategic priorities, the country program and the strategic framework for the partnership between Egypt and the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework 2023 – 2027.

During the meeting, the Minister discussed joint efforts with the UNDP, in order to enhance Egypt’s efforts to implement the SDGs in light of Egypt’s Vision 2030, and the importance of integrating efforts and maximizing benefit from the comparative advantage of the United Nations, effective international and regional cooperation, development financing, and technical support, through development partners in a way that enhances the country’s efforts towards achieving the SDGs and the 2030 Agenda.

The discussions touched on cooperation under the umbrella of the country platform of the “NWFE” program, and the participation of the UNDP through supporting national efforts and providing advisory services in areas related to the management and implementation of development projects, the just transition to a green and sustainable economy, and the possibility of employing various cooperation tools and partnerships between the UNDP and development partners such as, the European Investment Bank (EIB) to increase the impact of climate finance and development in Egypt.

Al-Mashat stressed the Ministry’s keenness to promote coordination between multilateral and bilateral development partners, and various national entities, in order to maximize the benefit of the implemented development programs and projects, especially with regard to the ongoing cooperation with the UNDP, in light of the Ministry’s position to chair the special management committee. This is within the strategic framework of partnership with the United Nations for UNSDCF, in cooperation with the UN Resident Coordinator in Egypt.

The discussions also touched on the importance of South-South cooperation and Triangular cooperation in advancing joint relations at the regional and international levels in the areas of green transformation, climate action and economic and social development, as well as exchanging expertise and pioneering development experiences that would build integrated solutions to overcome common development issues and challenges regionally and internationally. This is by shedding light on the pioneering Egyptian experience in investing in human capital, empowering the most vulnerable groups of youth and women, as well as the integrated development of villages and rural communities within the Decent Life Initiative, the Takaful and Karama Program, and others.

Discussions included progress on the Egyptian Red Sea Initiative, which is being prepared for implementation by the UNDP, the Global Fund for Coral Reefs (GFCR), and USAID totaling $15 million, which was officially launched during COP27 in November 2022, in order to combat climate change and its devastating effects on Egyptian coral reefs in the Red Sea; thus enhancing national investment efforts to preserve coral reefs in the Red Sea in Egypt, as part of Egyptian efforts in the field of biodiversity and preservation of natural reserves, and the importance of joint work. The Red Sea Initiative is an example of the importance of multilateral cooperation to pave the way towards enhancing the ability to adapt and mitigate the social, economic and environmental impacts of climate change.

They also discussed the debt swap initiative within discussions, on the sidelines of the pioneering Egyptian experience, where the Minister of International Cooperation stressed the importance of the UNDP’s participation in projects and activities financed by the debt swap with partner countries, which is one of the innovative mechanisms within the framework of international cooperation and development financing , especially within the debt swap programs for development with Italy and Germany, which included the implementation of numerous development projects in Egypt aimed at enhancing job creation, the competitiveness of the private sector, energy, food security, fish farming projects, and waste management, as well as education development projects. This is through an integrated approach, clear and precise governance rules, and achieving measurable results.

The discussions included Egypt’s interest in developing the northwest coast and building on the pioneering Egyptian experience of integrated development within the Development of the North West Coast and Mine Action project in its two phases, implemented through the UNDP, in cooperation with the government. Egyptian society, with support from the European Union, during the period from 2007 to 2017, and the importance of providing tools and mechanisms to reintegrate mine victims into the economy as productive members of society.

The Ministry of International Cooperation, the UNDP, and the European Union issued a joint statement in 2023 in which they renewed their commitment to support the continuation of mine clearance operations, in line with the National Development Plan for the Northwest Coast, especially the continuation of the important coordination role of the Ministry of International Cooperation.

It is worth noting that the Minister of International Cooperation recently visited the Women’s Productive Society for Handicrafts and Heritage in Aswan, which is one of the results of cooperation between the MSMEDA and the UNDP which works to support and empower craftswomen in Aswan; preserving traditional handicrafts and providing opportunities for women to earn income through their craft skills.