Al-Mashat, UNDP Assistant-Secretary General Discuss Joint Relations

The Minister of International Cooperation Dr. Rania Al-Mashat met with Khalida Bouzar, the United Nations Development Programme’s (UNDP) Assistant-Secretary General, and Director of the UNDP Regional Bureau for Arab States, to discuss joint economic relations between Egypt and the United Nations, as well as its affiliated organizations.

This comes within the framework of the Ministry of International Cooperation’s endeavors to deepen strategic relations between Egypt and its multilateral and bilateral development partners.

The meeting tackled the Ministry of International Cooperation’s role in enhancing relations with multilateral and bilateral development partners, through its three principles of Economic Diplomacy, including the Ministry’s mapping of the Official Development Assistance (ODA) to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

They also delved into the UNDP’s 2022/2025 strategy, and means of scaling up cooperation with the UNDP, to improve the exchange of expertise and knowledge with African countries. The meeting also examined the Egyptian efforts to host the UN 2022 Climate Change Conference (UNFCCC).

H.E. Al-Mashat stated that the Ministry of International Cooperation has led national discussions to establish a roadmap for 2023/2027 UN Partnership Development Framework for Egypt (UNPDF). This took place with the participation of over 30 governmental entities and the UN’s affiliated organizations, to identify the strategic framework of cooperation during the coming few years, according to national priorities.

Al-Mashat also addressed the Ministry’s mapping of the Official Development Assistance (ODA) to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and its contribution in coordinating the efforts of development partners, as well as the role this map played in pushing forward the national efforts that are in line with the 2030 UN’s SDGs, based on the global standards of the UN and the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).

During the meeting, they discussed South-South cooperation, as Minister Al-Mashat emphasized the profound role of cooperation between South countries, as it serves as a crucial factor of multilateralism to achieve sustainable development in those countries. She further affirmed the importance of revitalizing the Academy of South-South Cooperation.

For her part, Bouzar conveyed the UNDP’s Administrator’s, Achim Steiner, felicitations to H.E. Al-Mashat, on holding the Egypt - International Cooperation Forum: “Engaging for Impact”, and applauded the Ministry of International Cooperation’s vision to enhance cooperation between stakeholders, as well as the ODA-SDG Mapping.

Bouzar further noted that post adopting the UNDP’s 2022/2025 strategy, the country office will launch discussions with the Government to address the upcoming phase’s priorities, in coordination with the Ministry of International Cooperation and government agencies; adding that this strategic plan shall focus on several areas; including gender equality, building resilient communities, governance, energy, environment and combating climate change. This is in addition to putting private sector engagement at the forefront.

She also referred to the UNDP’s endeavors to enhance joint cooperation with the Government of Egypt, in order to benefit from its expertise in the ODA-SDG Mapping, combating climate change, and ensuring the transfer of this knowledge and expertise to Africa.

The United Nations Development Programme was established in 1965 by the General Assembly of the United Nations. The UNDP operates in 170 countries and works on eradicating poverty and reducing inequalities towards the achievement of the UN’s 2030 SDGs. The UNDP’s Regional Bureau for the Arab States oversees country programs across 17 countries, including Egypt.