Planning Minister, UN sign protocol supporting sustainable development goals financing strategy

Project aims to support the ambitious development efforts of Egypt: Hala El-Said

Egypt’s Minister of Planning and Economic Development Hala El-Said signed a cooperation protocol, on Tuesday, for the draft strategy for financing sustainable development goals (SDGs) in the country.The protocol was signed in cooperation with the Joint Sustainable Development Goals Fund, (the United Nations Joint Fund Support Project for Integrated Financing for Sustainable Development Goals in Egypt).El-Said affirmed her ministry’s keenness to cooperate with various development partners, especially international organisations and institutions to achieve the goals of sustainable development. The Ministry of Planning and Economic Development is also keen to strengthen cooperation with UN institutions and agencies, to support the implementation of the sustainable development agenda in Egypt. The minister said that the draft strategy for financing the SDGs in Egypt aims to support the ambitious development efforts that the country has set for itself. These are consistent with its national agenda for sustainable development, the Vision 2030, as well as what is consistent with Africa's Agenda 2063.El-Said added that the joint cooperation between the Ministry of Planning and Economic Development and the Joint Sustainable Development Goals Fund aims mainly to provide and determine the cost of achieving Egypt’s Vision 2030. This will also work towards achieving the vision and international goals of the SDGs, in addition to evaluating the current scene.In the same context, the minister indicated that Egypt intends to invest in several key sectors, including some "accelerators" of the SDGs. These have been identified as part of the participation in the SDGs supported by the United Nations (2018-2019). They aim to achieve the goals of the sustainable development strategy, and the end results of the SDGs by 2030, whilst securing a sustainable society and economy.The main sectors identified for this joint programme that should receive special attention are: education; health; social protection; water; sanitation; and transportation. For her part, Elena Panova, the UN Resident Coordinator in Egypt, emphasised that funding is a key enabler to accelerate progress towards achieving the SDGs. She added that, through this joint project, the UN system hopes to work with the Egyptian Government to bring sustainable development goals into the heart of the debate on financing and investment policies in Egypt.