The Minister of Planning and Economic Development discusses ways of cooperation with the Executive Director of the United Nations Population Fund

H.E. Dr. Hala El-Said, Minister of Planning and Economic Development, met with Ms. Natalia Kanem, Executive Director of the United Nations Population Fund, during her representation of Egypt at the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development 2022.

During the meeting, Dr. Hala El-Said emphasized that Egypt views the right to development as a basic principle to ensure equal opportunities for all residents, provide access to education, health care, and housing, as well as ensure that women play an active role in the development process.


El-Said pointed out that in recent years, Egypt has increased public investments and given top priority to investment in health and education.
El-Said stated that the demographic issue is receiving great attention from the state, as part of its objectives to maximize the benefit of the current human wealth enjoyed by Egyptian society.
 El-Said referred to the national project for the development of the Egyptian family, which aims to improve demographic characteristics for the first time, such as education, health, job opportunities, economic empowerment, and culture, in addition to controlling population growth.

Dr. Hala El-Said added that the national project for the development of the Egyptian family includes several axes, namely the economic empowerment of women, improving family planning and reproductive health services and making them available free of charge to all, cultural awareness, and educational interventions.

This is in addition to digital transformation and legislative reform. She emphasized the importance of investing to improve the future of women and empower them.


The Minister of Planning and Economic Development also indicated that the ministry, in partnership with the United Nations Population Fund, launched, for the first time in Egypt and the region, 27 reports to localize the sustainable development goals within all governorates of Egypt.



El-Said also reviewed the presidential initiative, a decent life, and its impact on improving the lives of citizens in the villages of the Egyptian countryside.

For her part, Ms. Natalia Kanem, Executive Director of the United Nations Population Fund, praised the continuous cooperation with Egypt through the Ministry of Planning and Economic Development.

 Kanem discussed ways of cooperation regarding the population file and the national family development project and expressed the Fund's readiness for further cooperation in this file.


The meeting was attended by Dr. Ahmed Kamali, Deputy Minister of Planning and Economic Development, Dr. Mona Essam, Head of the Sustainable Development Unit at the Ministry, Sherif Daoud, Deputy Head of the Sustainable Development Unit, and Karim Hassan, member of the International Relations Office at the Ministry of Planning and Economic Development.