The meeting comes within the framework of the mandate of Antonio Vigilante on behalf of the United Nations in Egypt, and in close partnership with the Egyptian government represented by the Ministry of International Cooperation, to develop a vision for the integrated approach and interventions that the United Nations and its specialized agencies will undertake with the Egyptian government within the framework of Haya Karima for the development of the Egyptian countryside.

During the meeting, the Egyptian minister hailed the long-decades relations between the two sides and the successes achieved in the fields of integration among various sectors thanks to those relations.

The minister pointed out to the keenness of the Egyptian government on achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) within Egypt's 2030 Vision.

He said president Abdel Fattah El Sisi, since he took office in 2014, has had a strong desire to develop Egyptian villages.

Minister Shaarawy said the project of developing Egyptian villages is a national project and has never been implemented in any country in the world as its covers areas of sanitary drainage, potable water, gas, communications, electricity, roads, health units, schools and youth facilities, to improve the lives of 58 million people living in villages.

For their part, the UN officials hailed cooperation with the Egyptian government to help achieve sustainable development goals in Egypt and improve the lives of people in rural areas.