Egypt marked International Youth Day with the official launch of its "National Strategy for Youth and Sports (2025–2032)" , in a high-profile ceremony at the St. Regis Hotel in the New Administrative Capital, attended by Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly and Minister of Youth and Sports Ashraf Sobhy, alongside senior government officials, development partners, and youth representatives.
The new strategy, developed after extensive nationwide consultations, aims to empower Egypt’s young population — nearly **60 percent of whom are under the age of 30** — through targeted investments in education, employment, sports, and community engagement.
UN Resident Coordinator in Egypt, speaking at the event, underscored the significance of launching the strategy on International Youth Day, calling it “a statement of intent that Egypt sees its young people not only as the promise of tomorrow, but already as active contributors to the progress of today.”
The strategy’s development involved 21 workshops across 11 cities, surveys of over 10,000 young people, and the formulation of more than 400 actionable measures, reflecting a “policy made with youth, not just for youth,” the UN official noted.
A key pillar of the plan is leveraging sport as a catalyst for empowerment, inclusion, and economic growth.
Citing the multi-billion-dollar global sports industry, officials highlighted Egypt’s vision to harness sports not only for recreation, but as a driver of jobs, tourism, health, and national pride.
The initiative builds on existing partnerships between Egypt and the United Nations, including: "Shabab Balad" , Egypt’s branch of the global "Generation UN limited" movement, which connects young people to education, employment, and empowerment.
In 2024 alone, more than 364,000 Egyptians, most of them young people, gained new skills through UN-supported programmes. Young entrepreneurs are also leading the way in green growth, agribusiness, and smart innovation, while community coach initiatives are empowering young women in sports and social leadership.
“This strategy sends a powerful message: that the skills, dreams, and energy of young people are essential for the nation’s future,” the UN Resident Coordinator said, urging Egypt’s youth to “keep pushing and bringing ideas to the table.”
The government and UN pledged to work together to ensure the strategy delivers on its vision of a healthier, more dynamic, and more confident generation of Egyptians, capable of contributing to both national development and global progress.
Follow the latest news on Google News
