CAIRO - 29 March 2023: Egypt's Minister of International Cooperation, Rania A. Al-Mashat, launched the Ministry's 2022 Annual Report "International Partnerships for Sustainable Development: From Pledges to Implementation", during an event held at the Ministry's headquarters.
This took place in the presence of multilateral and bilateral development partners, including Gareth Bayley, British Ambassador to Cairo, Håkan Emsgård, Swedish Ambassador to Cairo, Elena Panova, UN Resident Coordinator in Egypt, Marina Wes, World Bank Group (WBG) Regional Director for Egypt, Yemen and Djibouti, Yasmine El-Hini, Acting Country Director of the International Finance Corporation (IFC) in Egypt, Praveen Agrawal, Representative & Country Director for World Food Programme (WFP), Nasredin Hag Elamin, Representative of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in Egypt, Christine Arab, Representative of UN Women in Egypt, and many other representatives of development partners.
Al-Mashat said that the ministry’s annual report monitors a full year of joint work with relevant entities, multilateral and bilateral development partners, and international partnerships implemented during the past year in light of the challenges facing development efforts worldwide, and their repercussions. At the local level, the actions that have been implemented to enhance national efforts in priority areas include a focus on food security, climate action, renewable energy and other sectors, based on national priorities, different sectoral strategies and presidential initiatives.
She thanked all development partners for the continuous and fruitful work throughout the past year, which reflects the approach taken by the Government of Egypt through the framework of international cooperation and development financing, to enhance multilateral cooperation, to advance development efforts, and coordination between development partners and various national entities to enhance priorities. For example, the country, in light of Egypt's hosting of COP27 launched the Egypt National Climate Change Strategy (NCCS) 2050, within efforts to support Egypt's Vision 2030.
In their remarks, representatives of development partners applauded the constructive partnerships with the government, and the sustainability of the implemented partnerships based on the priorities of the Government of Egypt and its national plans in order to implement the SDGs and stimulate the participation of the private sector in development through development finance and technical support, referring to the continuous coordination and work between the technical teams from the ministry and partners in order to enhance collective action to advance comprehensive and sustainable development efforts. Moreover, representatives of development partners emphasized that the annual report of the ministry is a comprehensive work that documents a joint effort between all international institutions and the government in order to coordinate efforts to overcome development challenges.
The introductory pages of the annual report includes the speech of President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, President of the Arab Republic of Egypt, which he delivered at the Leaders Summit during COP27 in Sharm El-Sheikh, highlighting the need to accelerate implementation, efficient and fair efforts to reduce emissions, and provide the necessary financing for developing countries suffering from the climate crisis.
This is followed by the foreword by Rania A. Al-Mashat, Minister of International Cooperation, in which the minister highlights the efforts of multilateral cooperation over a period of three years, and the belief of the Government of Egypt that international cooperation is key to achieving sustainable development and building resilience in the face of crises.
In the coming three sections of the report, she details the ministry’s intensive efforts that took place over the past year, to support the country’s 2030 vision, the SDGs, Egypt National Climate Change Strategy (NCCS) 2050, and the various partnerships to enhance international and regional cooperation.
Section One:
Swift Responses for Urgent Needs: Recovery & Resilience
The first section titled "Swift Responses for Urgent Needs: Recovery & Resilience", details the partnerships that have been implemented to enhance food security efforts, social protection and support vulnerable communities. It also includes the events that were organized throughout the year to discuss the pillars of cooperation to support food security, in addition, to field visits to water and sanitation projects in Assiut Governorate, as well as the steps taken in light of Egypt's hosting of COP27. This includes launching the Country Platform for the Nexus for Water, Food and Energy (NWFE), in light of NCCS 2050, and the details of the projects proposed within the program.
The first part also featured with the initiatives launched at COP27, and focused on analytical reports issued by the Egypt in cooperation with development partners, most notably the Country Climate and Development Report (CCDR) in cooperation with the WBG, which is the first of its kind in the region as it monitors climate investment opportunities and challenges facing development efforts and suggests measures to be taken over the next five years.
Additionally, this part includes international events in which Al-Mashat participated including the annual meetings of the WBG and the International Monetary Fund (IMF), and the meetings of the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly, visiting the United Kingdom and the headquarters of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) as part of the preparations for COP27, the World Economic Forum in Davos, visiting the headquarters of the European Investment Bank (EIB), and participating in the OPEC Fund for International Development Forum in Vienna.
Section Two:
From Egypt to the World
In the second section of the annual report, the report deals with the activities of COP27 with the participation of more than 112 heads of state and government, and more than 40,000 participants, and the efforts made by the Government of Egypt to build on development efforts and stimulate the transition from pledges to implementation. This included the activities and partnerships held by the ministry to advance international partnerships aimed at stimulating climate action and development, during the conference, foremost of which is the signing of partnership letters and documents of the NWFE platform which includes projects of sustainable transportation and a list of national green projects with Egypt Partnerships Agreements for the Climate Transition (E-PACT).
During COP27, the Ministry participated in more than 80 activities, discussion sessions and bilateral meetings with multilateral and bilateral development partners and international institutions, in the various thematic days of the conference, in order to enhance multilateral cooperation to promote Egypt's development vision and the national strategy for climate change, also reviewing Egypt's efforts to transition to a green economy and integrating climate and development efforts, as well as the initiatives that have been launched, and announcing the winners of the Climatech Run 2022 global competition.
The second section of the annual report also deals with the activities of the Egypt-International Cooperation Forum in its section edition and the Meeting of African Ministers of Finance, Economy and Environment for COP27. This was held under under the patronage and with the
participation of President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, the President of the Arab Republic of Egypt, and organized in coordination with the Ministry of International Cooperation, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Finance, and Ministry of Environment. The event featured leaders of international financing institutions and UN organizations and government representatives from Africa and the world, serving as a prelude to Finance Dat at COP27 by discussing all priority issues on the agenda of the continent of Africa. The event included two high-level round tables on the NWFE platform with the issuing of a joint statement by 17 international bodies and international organizations to announce their support for the program and its projects in light of the country's green transition efforts.
Additionally, the second section also highlights the country strategies of the Arab Republic of Egypt with multilateral and bilateral development partners, the efforts made to align national priorities and international goals in these strategies, and the efforts made throughout 2022 to develop the new strategic framework for partnership with the United Nations, and to issue the country strategy with the EBRD, as well as preparations with the WBG and AfDB, and many other international partners.
In a chapter dedicated to enhancing joint cooperation and mobilizing development efforts for the African continent, the annual report includes the meetings that were held throughout 2022 with officials and ministers from Africa, and participation in various events, and efforts to enhance South-South cooperation in cooperation with the United Nations Development Program (UNDP).
In addition to that, the second part includes mechanisms to enhance regional cooperation through joint committees.
Section Three:
Optimism and Opportunities in Egypt
The third section of the annual report deals in detail with efforts to support and empower youth, entrepreneurship and digital transformation, through the many initiatives that have been worked on throughout the year. This includes the launch of the United Nations "Generation Unlimited", through the Egyptian version of "Shabab Balad" and holding its first advisory board meeting at COP27, the launch of the ClimaTech Run for startups and digital artists, and the graduation of startups from the “Orange Corners” program in cooperation with the Dutch embassy and the private sector.
This section also highlights the activities that took place throughout the year in light of stimulating the efforts of the private sector's participation in development, whether through the Egypt Economic Conference 2022, and the ongoing dialogues with private sector companies through chambers of commerce, international organizations, and international investment banks.
The third section of the annual report concludes by addressing efforts to empower women to achieve comprehensive and sustainable economic development, and launch of the “Gender Equality in Climate Action Accelerator” with the EBRD, as well as other programs and projects implemented between government agencies and international financing institutions.
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