Business
At the Davos , Rania A. Al-Mashat Held High-level Meetings with UNICEF Executive Director
by: Amal Elwy
0:00
The Minister of International Cooperation H.E Dr. Rania A. Al-Mashat continued her meetings with multilateral and bilateral development partners during the 2023 World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos, discussing areas of cooperation and enhancing joint action to drive development efforts, and exploring mechanisms to stimulate private sector participation.
Meeting with UNICEF Executive Director
Al-Mashat held a high-level meeting with Catherine Russell, Executive Director of the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF). They discussed strengthening existing partnerships between the Government of Egypt and UNICEF, given their close relationship, and the organization’s role in advancing government efforts aimed at stimulating sustainable development, supporting efforts to enhance capabilities in various fields, including youth.
H.E. also pointed out the importance of the country partnership between Egypt and the UNICEF for 2023-2027, which was formulated through a participatory process involving all national entities, UN agencies and civil society organizations, and is based on the following pillars: social inclusion and effective participation, supporting the Egyptian government in building an environment that contributes to the development and empowerment of children, learning, child protection, and youth empowerment, and the budget envisaged for the programme during the implementation period is $117 million.
Moreover, the Minister referred to the importance of the implementation of the Egyptian version of the United Nations Generation Unlimited (GenU), which was launched in Egypt in January 2022, following the convening of the initiative’s Advisory Board in November 2022 on the sidelines of the COP27. This aims to support and empower youth in the areas of education, employment, entrepreneurship and engagement, and comes in collaboration between the government, the private sector and international financing institutions.
Last year, Al-Mashat was also selected among the distinguished Global Leadership Council (GLC) in the GenU initiative, and this includes many decision-makers and economic leaders around the world, in order to support the efforts made through the initiative to empower youth and mobilize resources for the implementation of the initiative on a large scale. This is chaired by UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell.
The Minister thanked UNICEF for their active participation in the Egypt- International Cooperation Forum (Egypt – ICF).
The Senior Minister of Singapore
Al-Mashat met with Tharman Shanmugaratnam, the Senior Minister of Singapore, who is also the Prime Minister’s Adviser on Economic Affairs and Chairman of the Monetary Authority of Singapore.
During the meeting, Al-Mashat discussed the opportunities for joint cooperation between the two countries and the promotion of trade and investment in various fields, in light of the measures taken by the Government of Egypt to expand the base of private sector participation in development through many pillars, especially the investment opportunities in the Suez Canal Economic Zone.
The Minister pointed to the country’s keenness on creating a working environment that empowers the private sector and promotes investments in various fields, and increases the rates of private sector participation in development efforts to 65% over the next three years. H.E. pointed to the great opportunities available for cooperation between the two countries, especially in the fields of digital transformation, sustainable development, localization of industries and vocational training.
The two sides discussed the challenges facing the global economy that affect all countries of the world and ways to advance joint action to address these challenges.
Nigerian Minister of Finance
Al-Mashat met with the Nigerian Minister of Finance H.E. Zainab Shamsuna, where they discussed the developments in the global economic situation and the impact of the African continent on these changes and ways of cooperation and strengthening joint efforts to face challenges through the expansion of economic relations and trade exchange.
Moreover, Al-Mashat referred to the importance of South-South Cooperation and the promotion of joint action between the countries of the continent to stimulate the green transition, and to build on what was reached during the COP27, to move forward towards the implementation of Africa’s Agenda 2063.
Al-Mashat stressed the interest of Egypt’s political leadership in supporting development in the countries of the African continent through strategic partnerships in several areas, including infrastructure, health, transport, water and others, noting that the country is making diligent efforts to promote the sustainability of cities and achieve green growth, as well as activating cooperation with the countries of the South through international cooperation efforts, and the possibility of strengthening technical cooperation and exchange of experiences with the Nigerian side in this regard.
The Minister of International Cooperation thanked the Nigerian Minister of Finance for participating in the second edition of the Egypt – ICF and Meeting of African Ministers of Finance, Economy and Environment.
The World Economic Forum
The Minister also met with Saadia Zahidi, Managing Director of the World Economic Forum (WEF), where they discussed ways to stimulate joint cooperation in the field of women’s empowerment and promoting gender equality through the “Closing the Gender Gap Accelerator” launched by the WEF, Ministry of International Cooperation, and National Council of Women (NCW), with the aim of increasing economic opportunities available to women and enhancing the state’s efforts aimed at women’s economic and social empowerment. The Minister reviewed Egypt’s efforts to promote gender equality, women empowerment and social protection through the “Takaful and Karama” program, education development and increased investment in human capital.
The WEF 2023 Annual Meetings in Davos, Switzerland, is being held under the theme “Cooperation in a Fragmented World”, with the participation of several heads of state, heads of government, ministers, and major private sector companies. The Minister is scheduled to hold a number of bilateral meetings between the 16th and 20th with representatives of multilateral and bilateral development partners, private sector companies, and philanthropic organizations, and will also be participating in several events and sessions in light of the strengthening economic relations between Egypt and regional and international institutions.
Meeting with UNICEF Executive Director
Al-Mashat held a high-level meeting with Catherine Russell, Executive Director of the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF). They discussed strengthening existing partnerships between the Government of Egypt and UNICEF, given their close relationship, and the organization’s role in advancing government efforts aimed at stimulating sustainable development, supporting efforts to enhance capabilities in various fields, including youth.
H.E. also pointed out the importance of the country partnership between Egypt and the UNICEF for 2023-2027, which was formulated through a participatory process involving all national entities, UN agencies and civil society organizations, and is based on the following pillars: social inclusion and effective participation, supporting the Egyptian government in building an environment that contributes to the development and empowerment of children, learning, child protection, and youth empowerment, and the budget envisaged for the programme during the implementation period is $117 million.
Moreover, the Minister referred to the importance of the implementation of the Egyptian version of the United Nations Generation Unlimited (GenU), which was launched in Egypt in January 2022, following the convening of the initiative’s Advisory Board in November 2022 on the sidelines of the COP27. This aims to support and empower youth in the areas of education, employment, entrepreneurship and engagement, and comes in collaboration between the government, the private sector and international financing institutions.
Last year, Al-Mashat was also selected among the distinguished Global Leadership Council (GLC) in the GenU initiative, and this includes many decision-makers and economic leaders around the world, in order to support the efforts made through the initiative to empower youth and mobilize resources for the implementation of the initiative on a large scale. This is chaired by UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell.
The Minister thanked UNICEF for their active participation in the Egypt- International Cooperation Forum (Egypt – ICF).
The Senior Minister of Singapore
Al-Mashat met with Tharman Shanmugaratnam, the Senior Minister of Singapore, who is also the Prime Minister’s Adviser on Economic Affairs and Chairman of the Monetary Authority of Singapore.
During the meeting, Al-Mashat discussed the opportunities for joint cooperation between the two countries and the promotion of trade and investment in various fields, in light of the measures taken by the Government of Egypt to expand the base of private sector participation in development through many pillars, especially the investment opportunities in the Suez Canal Economic Zone.
The Minister pointed to the country’s keenness on creating a working environment that empowers the private sector and promotes investments in various fields, and increases the rates of private sector participation in development efforts to 65% over the next three years. H.E. pointed to the great opportunities available for cooperation between the two countries, especially in the fields of digital transformation, sustainable development, localization of industries and vocational training.
The two sides discussed the challenges facing the global economy that affect all countries of the world and ways to advance joint action to address these challenges.
Nigerian Minister of Finance
Al-Mashat met with the Nigerian Minister of Finance H.E. Zainab Shamsuna, where they discussed the developments in the global economic situation and the impact of the African continent on these changes and ways of cooperation and strengthening joint efforts to face challenges through the expansion of economic relations and trade exchange.
Moreover, Al-Mashat referred to the importance of South-South Cooperation and the promotion of joint action between the countries of the continent to stimulate the green transition, and to build on what was reached during the COP27, to move forward towards the implementation of Africa’s Agenda 2063.
Al-Mashat stressed the interest of Egypt’s political leadership in supporting development in the countries of the African continent through strategic partnerships in several areas, including infrastructure, health, transport, water and others, noting that the country is making diligent efforts to promote the sustainability of cities and achieve green growth, as well as activating cooperation with the countries of the South through international cooperation efforts, and the possibility of strengthening technical cooperation and exchange of experiences with the Nigerian side in this regard.
The Minister of International Cooperation thanked the Nigerian Minister of Finance for participating in the second edition of the Egypt – ICF and Meeting of African Ministers of Finance, Economy and Environment.
The World Economic Forum
The Minister also met with Saadia Zahidi, Managing Director of the World Economic Forum (WEF), where they discussed ways to stimulate joint cooperation in the field of women’s empowerment and promoting gender equality through the “Closing the Gender Gap Accelerator” launched by the WEF, Ministry of International Cooperation, and National Council of Women (NCW), with the aim of increasing economic opportunities available to women and enhancing the state’s efforts aimed at women’s economic and social empowerment. The Minister reviewed Egypt’s efforts to promote gender equality, women empowerment and social protection through the “Takaful and Karama” program, education development and increased investment in human capital.
The WEF 2023 Annual Meetings in Davos, Switzerland, is being held under the theme “Cooperation in a Fragmented World”, with the participation of several heads of state, heads of government, ministers, and major private sector companies. The Minister is scheduled to hold a number of bilateral meetings between the 16th and 20th with representatives of multilateral and bilateral development partners, private sector companies, and philanthropic organizations, and will also be participating in several events and sessions in light of the strengthening economic relations between Egypt and regional and international institutions.
