UN Commends Egypt's Role in Hosting Sharm El-Sheikh Peace Summit

The United Nations has praised Egypt for its pivotal role in hosting and ensuring the success of the Sharm El-Sheikh Peace Summit, which aimed at addressing the ongoing conflict in Gaza and promoting peace and stability across the Middle East.

In an exclusive interview with Al Qahera News Channel, Abdullah Al-Dardiri, Assistant Secretary-General of the United Nations, lauded the Egyptian leadership's efforts in organizing the summit, which focused on ending the war in Gaza and advancing peace initiatives in the region. 

The interview, broadcasted live via satellite from Naples, Italy, on Friday evening, shed light on ongoing international cooperation between Egypt and the UN, especially in the context of the upcoming conference on early recovery, reconstruction, and development in Gaza.

Al-Dardiri, who also serves as the Regional Director for the Arab States at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), detailed the alarming extent of the destruction in Gaza, estimating initial damage at a staggering $52 billion. Reconstruction, he noted, would require an additional $70 billion. Over 80% of Gaza’s homes have been destroyed, and more than 50 million tons of rubble need to be cleared to allow aid trucks to access the region.

“The destruction in Gaza is catastrophic. But the international community, in close partnership with Egypt, is working tirelessly to provide immediate relief and lay the groundwork for long-term recovery,” Al-Dardiri stated.

Over the past few days, the UN has managed to clear 100,000 tons of debris from Gaza's neighborhoods. The UN has also prioritized securing essential services such as potable water and electricity supply, marking the beginning of a short-term recovery phase. Over the next 60 days, the organization plans to create 10,000 job opportunities, deploy 45,000 mobile homes to the most affected areas, and focus on reinvigorating education and healthcare services.

“In these critical early days, we are focused on basic services, ensuring access to clean water, restoring electricity, and supporting the educational and healthcare sectors. These are vital to the survival and dignity of the people of Gaza,” Al-Dardiri emphasized.

The UN has also drafted a two-year program for early recovery, which is valued at $4 billion. This initiative is designed not only to rebuild destroyed neighborhoods but also to invest in key infrastructure such as power plants and sewage treatment facilities.

To date, the UN has allocated $100 million for Gaza’s early recovery, with plans to raise similar amounts in the coming weeks. Additionally, the organization has been instrumental in assisting 27,000 high school students in Gaza resume their education digitally during the past two weeks.

“We are committed to helping Palestinians rebuild their homes and their lives,” Al-Dardiri said. "We will also provide families with financial support to repair or rebuild their homes and offer credit lines to small Palestinian businesses to aid in the reconstruction process."

For recovery efforts to succeed, Al-Dardiri stressed that three fundamental conditions must be met: securing adequate funding, establishing lasting security, and ensuring a stable environment. He emphasized that the early recovery process is a community-driven initiative, and that the private sector will need to play a central role in Gaza's rebuilding efforts in the future.

The UN official concluded with a call for sustained peace and security in the region, particularly the full implementation of the ceasefire agreement. "The success of recovery hinges on the stability of Gaza. Without a permanent ceasefire, it will be difficult to move to the second phase of the agreement and begin the reconstruction in earnest."

The international community, under the leadership of Egypt and with the support of the UN, now faces the monumental task of restoring Gaza and laying the foundation for lasting peace and stability in the region.