FM Shoukry urges faithful implementation of sustainable development agenda

CAIRO – 22 September 2023: Egypt’s Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry stressed Egypt's strong belief that the best way for preventing conflicts and building peace is the faithful implementation of the sustainable development's agenda, which in turn helps achieve security and stability in face of current major challenges.

Shoukry made the remarks on Friday during his participation in the ministerial gathering of the UN Peacebuilding Commission (PBC) as part of the high-level meetings of the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, said Spokesman for the Foreign Ministry Ahmed Abu Zeid.

The foreign minister reviewed Egypt's vision for enhancing the commission's role, through strengthening the response between peacekeeping and peacebuilding activities, in a way that contributes to addressing the root causes that lead to conflicts and supporting peace, security and development.

He stated that Egypt pays great attention to the reconstruction process and is keen under its presidency of the steering committee of the New Partnership for Africa's Development Agency (NEPAD) to push for consolidating the link between peace, security and development based on the outcomes of the Aswan Forum for Sustainable Peace and Development.

The top Egyptian diplomat underlined the importance of providing the adequate and sustainable finance for peacebuilding to address the decline in financial allocations for peacebuilding activities.

He emphasized the necessity of overcoming differences related to establishing peacebuilding fund, noting that Egypt looks forward to reaching a consensus among member states about the estimated contributions to the fund during the current session of the UN General Assembly.

The foreign minister called for driving the efforts aimed at boosting the participation of women and youth in peacebuilding, while continuing to support countries in the process of building their national institutions and capabilities, as well as the foundations of good governance, to ensure security and stability for sustainable development.

Shoukry lauded the exerted efforts to develop the general framework of the new peace agenda, and the proposals included in that agenda to enhance the role of the UN peacebuilding commission.