Al-Mashat: Multilateralism Plays Key Role in Achieving Sustainable Development Goals

The Minister of International Cooperation Dr. Rania Al-Mashat affirmed that multilateralism plays a key role in supporting the global efforts towards achieving the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that the world has agreed upon achieving by 2030 in 2015.

This came during the Minister’s participation in a panel discussion titled “International Cooperation as a Driver for Sustainable Global Development” that took place as part of the 24th St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) in Saint Petersburg, Russia, from June 2 to June 5. Moderated by the Georgian Journalist, Tina Kandelaki, the panel was attended by Russian Minister of Industry and Trade, Denis Manturov; UAE’s Minister of International Cooperation, H.E. Reem Al Hashimy, the Chairman and President at Skolkovo Foundation, Arkady Dvorkovich; Mayor of Osaka, Ichiro Matsui, Mayor of Osaka.

During her speech, Al-Mashat referred to the United Nations’ SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals, stating that common goals make partnerships more enabling and impactful. H.E. said that the COVID-19 pandemic has shown the solidarity of the world and its people in face of the pandemic, explaining that the pandemic has established several new concepts of partnerships and solidarity, not only between people of the same nation but between different countries as well.

Al-Mashat also referred to SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions; which brings together people, countries and stakeholders, to the same table, opening new horizons of cooperation and creating a global consensus regarding the global development goals that must be achieved within less than a decade.

The Minister further tackled the Ministry of International Cooperation’s goals towards advancing the achievement of the SDGs in Egypt through the principles of Economic Diplomacy; the Multi-Stakeholders Platform, the Official Development Assistance (ODA) mapping to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and the Global Partnerships Narrative. Al-Mashat further added that the Multi-Stakeholders Platform (MSP) affirms engagement, not only that of the governmental institutions, but also multilateral and bilateral development partners, civil society, and the private sector.

Al-Mashat stressed that international cooperation is more important now in order to ensure the activation of joint international efforts in order to achieve development goals, exchange experiences, knowledge and new technologies between countries in a more equitable manner. This is in addition to developing national policies in each country, ensuring a better future for all.

The Minister emphasized the importance of holding global forums and expos to exchange experiences, discuss the world’s latest developments, and enhance multilateralism, as well as to craft an international cooperation framework that brings stakeholders together on the same table so as to achieve the SDGs.

H.E. Al-Mashat took part in this panel discussion as part of the 24th St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) in Saint Petersburg, representing the Arab Republic of Egypt. The forum is considered a global leading event that tackles economic challenges faced by the world and emerging countries; it takes place this year under the theme of “A Collective Reckoning of the New Global Economic Reality.”