Egypt’s NIGSD Highlights 2023 Achievements in Governance and Sustainable Development

The National Institute for Governance and Sustainable Development (NIGSD)has released its annual report showcasing significant accomplishments throughout 2023. 

H.E. Dr. Hala El Said, Minister of Planning and Economic Development, emphasized the institute's pivotal role in aligning with "Egypt Vision 2030" and fostering partnerships for human capital investment. 

Dr. Sharifa Sharif, CEO of the institute, outlined their commitment to advancing robust governance systems, enhancing Egypt's position in sustainable development. Key programs included the "Be an Ambassador" initiative, "Women Leadership Empowerment," and collaborations with the American University in Cairo (AUC). 

The institute's efforts extend to youth engagement, policy-making initiatives, and comprehensive training programs.

The training programs also included the launch of the Project Management Training Program in collaboration with the Ministry of Planning and Economic Development, the USAID-funded Economic Governance Project, and Bresk Company. Workshops were held in collaboration with the USAID-funded Economic Governance Project on Egypt's performance in governance indicators for 2022/2023. 

Additionally, the "Youth for Development Initiative" training program for the academic year 2022/2023 was conducted. 

The institute organized a training program titled "Governance, Sustainable Development, and Their Impact on Institutional Objectives" for employees in managerial positions and above.

Moreover, the institute hosted a discussion on the standard specification for green non-governmental organizations in collaboration with Misr El Kheir Foundation. Training programs such as "Art of Report Writing and Data Presentation" for employees of the General Authority for Hospitals and Educational Institutes were conducted. 

The institute also launched the first phase of the "Sustainable Development for Ladies in Luxor" training program under the "Green Footprint" initiative towards a smart green village.

The institute's report highlighted its international outreach, conducting programs globally. Examples include the training program "Innovative Governance in the Digital Age" with Thunderbird School of Global Management, the program "Excellence in Governance and Sustainability in the Digital Age" with Mohammed Bin Rashid School of Government in the UAE, and the program "Digital Governance for the Egyptian Judiciary" in Portugal. 

Collaboration with the United Nations University in Portugal for the program "Digital Governance in Public Administration" and the program "Governance and Digital Transformation" with Hertie School in Germany were also mentioned.

In 2023, the National Institute for Governance and Sustainable Development extended training programs to African countries, conducting sessions for African postgraduate students and administrative leaders at the Egyptian Japanese University of Science and Technology. 

The second phase of the "She for a Digital Future" initiative for Africa, a training program on "Performance Measurement Indicators toward Effective Governance in Africa" for African civil servants, and a similar program for civil servants from various African countries were organized. Additionally, sessions were held for African children residing in Egypt to introduce them to the "Salah, Amna, and Sustainable Development Goals" initiative.

The report highlighted significant partnerships, including agreements with Thunderbird School of Global Management (Tbird), the International Forum for Fine Arts for Development (IFAFD), and the Takaful Development Association. 

Protocols were signed with entities such as the National Council for Persons with Disabilities (NCPD), Bader University (BU), and the Zewail City for Science and Technology (ZC) to support and empower disabled individuals and enhance human capabilities.

Dr. Sharifa Sharif, the institute's CEO, actively participated in various events throughout 2023, including the high-level conference for the "Supporting Public and Economic Governance in Egypt" (SPEGE) project, the World Government Summit (WGS) in Dubai, and the 22nd session of the United Nations Economic and Social Council's Committee of Experts on Public Administration (ECOSOC). 

Dr. Sharif also engaged in discussions with representatives from various international institutions and discussed future collaborations with different educational institutions.

In terms of publications, the National Institute for Governance and Sustainable Development released reports such as "Egypt's Ranking in International Governance Indicators 2022/2023," the second issue of the "Governance and Sustainable Development" magazine focusing on environmental governance and climate change, and reports on Egypt's performance in the African Governance Index and the Global Innovation Index 2023 by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). Additionally, a series of children's stories titled "Salah, Amna, and Sustainable Development Goals" were launched in collaboration with the Hans Seidel Foundation.

The institute's year in review for 2023 highlighted the success of the "Government Excellence Leadership Program" (GELP), which won the EFMD Global Talent Development Award 2023 in the "Talent Development" category. 

The institute celebrated the graduation of 14 start-ups in collaboration with the Business Incubator of the Faculty of Economics and Political Science at Cairo University (BUEPS). Initiatives like "Sustainable Art and Human Development" (SAHD) and workshops under the "Green Minds" initiative were launched. In 2023, the Egypt Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation (ECEI) was inaugurated to support entrepreneurship and innovation activities, accompanied by the launch of its official website www.eeic.gov.eg. 

The center organized events and training programs, including the application process for the second batch of the Professional Master's Program in Entrepreneurship and Innovation in collaboration with Cairo University (CU) and Cambridge Enterprise Foundation. Additionally, the center conducted a training camp for generating ideas for university students, a workshop on "Marketing and E-commerce" for "Be an Ambassador" initiative graduates, and the pre-incubation program for sustainable ready-made clothing, which witnessed substantial success among youth participants.