Planning Minister Rania Al-Mashat Hosts UN Assistant Secretary-General Abdullah Al-Dardari to Advance Egypt's Economic and Development Agenda

Minister Rania Al-Mashat and UN Assistant Secretary-General Abdullah Al-Dardari Engage in Strategic Dialogue on Enhancing Investments in Health, Education, and Industry Localization

Cairo, July 6, 2024 – H.E. Dr. Rania Al-Mashat, Minister of Planning, Economic Development, and International Cooperation, held a pivotal meeting with Dr. Abdullah Al-Dardari, UN Assistant Secretary-General, Assistant Administrator, and Director of the UNDP Regional Bureau for Arab States.The meeting was also attended by Mr. Alessandro Fracassetti, UNDP Resident Representative in Egypt, alongside several UNDP officials and the Ministry’s team.

Dr. Al-Mashat welcomed the UNDP officials, underscoring the program’s role as a strategic partner for the Egyptian government in promoting comprehensive and sustainable development. She stressed the importance of enhanced integration and coordination with development partners, leveraging comparative advantages to focus on productive sectors, and fostering the growth of small and medium enterprises.

She highlighted the government’s efforts to develop macroeconomic policies that drive development initiatives, increase investments in health and education, localize industry, and boost overall investment. The program’s partnership in advancing the national development agenda, expanding private sector participation, investing in human capital, providing innovative and green financing tools, and supporting micro, small, and medium enterprises was also emphasized. Dr. Al-Mashat pointed out that the Human Development Report remains a central element of their cooperation with the UNDP, offering a critical review and analysis of Egypt’s development policies and issues.

Dr. Al-Dardari congratulated Dr. Al-Mashat on her new portfolio, emphasizing that it reflects the government’s promising vision to harmonize macroeconomic sectors and international development cooperation for sustainable progress. He affirmed the UNDP’s readiness to strengthen this strategic partnership, enrich the cooperation portfolio with new initiatives in macroeconomics, economic policy formulation and implementation, diagnostic studies, climate finance mechanisms, and build on the successful relations between the Egyptian government and development partners.

He expressed anticipation for enhanced cooperation with the Egyptian government on the “Nexus of Water, Food, and Energy” (NWFE) national platform, highlighting the program’s technical support’s importance to the regional and international climate agenda.

The meeting also covered preparations for the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF), scheduled for this July at the UN headquarters in New York. Dr. Al-Mashat will participate under the auspices of the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) under the theme “Enhancing the 2030 Agenda and eradicating poverty in times of multiple crises: Effective implementation of sustainable, resilient, and innovative solutions.” Discussions included ministerial sessions planned for the forum and preparations for the 2024 Summit of the Future, scheduled for the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly in September.

Dr. Al-Mashat outlined work priorities with Dr. Al-Dardari within the framework of their partnership and the strategic framework for Egypt-UN Sustainable Development Cooperation 2023-2027. She emphasized the importance of South-South and triangular cooperation, leveraging Egypt’s pioneering experience in various fields through the UNDP’s regional platform. She also mentioned the first meeting of the New Development Bank (NDB) in Egypt and the significance of partnerships with Southern countries to address common development challenges.

She referred to the Ministry’s 2023 annual report, which details cooperation mechanisms with development partners, enhancing sustainable development efforts in Egypt. She reviewed the debt swap programs with Italy and Germany, which have implemented numerous developmental projects and encouraged similar agreements with China through a historic memorandum of understanding for debt-for-development swaps.

The meeting addressed collaboration with the UNDP to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and support the Egyptian economy through mechanisms that enhance job creation, reduce unemployment, and lower poverty rates, aligning with national priorities for human capital development. Discussions also covered enhancing national capacities for the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) and carbon taxonomy mechanisms to bolster national climate action.

They also discussed ongoing cooperation with the UNDP, USAID, and the Global Coral Reef Fund (GFCR) under the Egyptian Red Sea Initiative to combat climate change and its impact on coral reefs. The initiative supports national investment efforts to preserve biodiversity and natural reserves, showcasing the importance of multilateral cooperation for resilience and mitigating climate change’s social, economic, and environmental impacts.

Additionally, the discussions touched on Egypt’s interest in developing the North-Western Coast and leveraging Egypt’s integrated development experience through the North-Western Coast Development and Landmine Clearance Project, implemented in cooperation with the UNDP and supported by the European Union from 2007 to 2017. The importance of providing tools and mechanisms for the economic reintegration of landmine victims as productive members of society was also emphasized.