Planning Minister, UCLGA Secretary-General meet to discuss cooperation in the Decent Life for Climate Resilient Africa Initiative

H.E. Dr. Hala El-Said, Minister of Planning and Economic Development, met recently with (United Cities and Local Governments of Africa) UCLGA Secretary-General Mr. Jean Pierre Elong Mbassi to discuss ways of cooperation in areas related to economic, physical, and urban development sustainability.

 

Both parties discussed the development of (Decent Life for Climate Resilient Africa Initiative) which was launched on the sidelines of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention on Climate Change (CoP27), which Egypt hosted in Sharm El-Sheikh in November 2022.

The meeting witnessed the presence of Dr. Jamil Helmy, Assistant Minister for Follow-up Affairs of the Sustainable Development Plan, Dr. Mona Essam, Assistant Minister for Sustainable Development Affairs, Ambassador Hazem Khairat, Supervisor of the Ministry's International Cooperation Office, and Ambassador Mohamed Hegazy, Advisor to the Minister of Local Development and Regional Director of the North Africa Office of (NARO) United African Cities and Local Governments.

During the meeting, Dr. Hala El-Said stressed the importance of the organization's role in conveying Egyptian experiences regarding the success of the Decent Life Initiative in Egypt to various African countries to assist in the Decent Life for Climate Resilient Africa Initiative.

 

The Decent Life initiative aims to improve the quality of life in 30% of the poorest and most vulnerable villages against climate change by 2030. It supports climate change efforts and accelerates nationally determined contribution plans (NDCs) in order to combat climate change.

El-Said indicated that the workflow of the “Decent Life” initiative, executed in cooperation with several ministries and institutions, aims to levitate the burden on the citizens of the needy communities in Egyptian villages by depending on the execution of some services and developmental activities.

 

She also pointed out that the United Nations (UN) incorporated the initiative among international best practices given it is specific, applicable, timely, measurable, and works to achieve the UN’s sustainable development goals.

For his part, the UCLGA Secretary-General expressed his aspiration to take the “Decent Life” initiative as a leading example. He hopes to learn from it and apply it to African Nations following the African Agenda 2063.

The meeting addressed the latest updates related to Egypt hosting the 10th African Cities Summit "Africities" event in 2025.