H.E. Dr. Rania A. Al-Mashat Highlights the Contributions and Initiatives of the Ministry of Planning, Economic Development, and International Cooperation in Supporting Urban Sustainability and Climate Action Efforts
31 October 2024
During her Participation in the “Catalyzing Local Action for Urban
Sustainability” event Celebrating World Cities Day at the Alexandria Library
H.E. Dr. Rania A. Al-Mashat Highlights the
Contributions and Initiatives of the Ministry of Planning, Economic
Development, and International Cooperation in Supporting Urban Sustainability
and Climate Action Efforts
“City sustainability is a core pillar for achieving comprehensive economic development,” stated H.E. Dr. Rania Al-Mashat.
Youth play a vital role in leading development and urban efforts.
Enhancing financing for sustainable economic development across various sectors.
Integrating climate and sustainability dimensions in partnerships with multilateral international institutions.
The Egyptian government places significant importance on supporting the green transition and climate action.
We are preparing to participate in the Financing for Development Conference to present the perspectives of developing and emerging nations.
Strengthening cities’ and communities’ resilience through expanded mitigation and adaptation projects.
The NWFE Program has become a model for national platforms that integrate climate and development efforts.
NWFE includes multiple projects aimed at addressing climate change in urban and rural communities.
The green transition is a central focus within the national structural reforms program.
We are finalizing the executive regulations for the new planning law.
Egypt plays a pivotal role in international forums for exchanging expertise with the Global South.
We are implementing various initiatives to support startups, climate action, and youth empowerment.
H.E. Dr. Rania A. Al-Mashat, Minister of
Planning, Economic Development, and International Cooperation, participated in
a ministerial session on “Youth Climate Changemakers: Catalyzing Local Action
for Urban Sustainability,” as part of a conference organized by the Ministry of
Local Development and the United Nations Human Settlements Programme
(UN-Habitat) in celebration of World Cities Day at the Alexandria Library. This
event also aligns with preparations for the upcoming World Urban Forum next
week.
The session was attended by Dr. Ashraf Sobhi,
Minister of Youth and Sports, Dr. Ali Abu Sena, CEO of the Environmental
Affairs Agency representing the Minister of Environment, and was moderated by
media figure Osama Kamal.
In her remarks, Al-Mashat discussed the
ministry’s efforts to mobilize necessary investments and integrate climate
considerations into planning processes. She highlighted the importance of
fostering partnerships with international development partners to support
climate change mitigation efforts, stating, “environmental sustainability is a
key component when preparing the state’s investment plan.” Human development
currently represents 42% of government investments within the economic and
social development plan, infrastructure and industrial development account for
37%, and local development in the governorates comprises 21%.
H.E. Al-Mashat emphasized that achieving
environmental sustainability—an essential foundation for comprehensive and
balanced development—is pursued through integrating environmental dimensions
into development plans. This approach fosters green and sustainable economic
growth, aligning with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The ministry places a significant focus on transitioning to a green economy and
increasing the proportion of green projects within its plans.
The Minister stressed the Egyptian
government’s commitment to youth empowerment, noting that youth empowerment is
a central enabler within all national strategies in collaboration with
development partners. The national structural reforms program has also included
green transition as a main pillar.
H.E. Al-Mashat also highlighted various
initiatives designed to empower youth and equip them with environmental
knowledge and green skills essential to addressing environmental challenges.
Among these initiatives is “Shabab Balad,” launched during the World Youth
Forum in 2022 by the Ministry of Planning, Economic Development, and
International Cooperation in partnership with the United Nations Resident
Coordinator in Egypt and UNICEF. This initiative aims to foster a unique public-private-youth
partnership (PPYP) model to implement developmental projects, bringing together
public and private sectors, development partners, civil society organizations,
and youth, thus having a positive impact on young people in Egypt.
The Minister also referenced the presidential
initiative “Hayah Karima,” which aims to achieve comprehensive rural
development in Egypt’s countryside, incorporating environmental dimensions and
green economic transition through a variety of projects in water and sanitation,
as well as renewable energy. She highlighted that Egypt has prioritized green
transition since 2014, with significant attention given to various aspects of
green transition by the Egyptian state.
Additionally, All-Mashat spoke about the
global preparations for the Fourth Conference on Financing for Development,
scheduled to take place in Spain next year, and the ongoing discussions within
international forums. She stressed that economic development and climate action
are inseparable, noting that real progress—especially in developing countries
heavily impacted by climate change—requires both government efforts and
development financing to reduce private sector investment costs.
In this context, she emphasized the importance
of multilateral cooperation in advancing these efforts and mentioned the launch
of the country platform for the NWFE Program by the Ministry of Planning,
Economic Development, and International Cooperation. This program includes
major projects in water management, climate adaptation, and sea level rise
mitigation in the Delta region, as well as initiatives to enhance the
resilience of rural communities against climate change through sustainable
practices and early warning systems.
Al-Mashat also mentioned Egypt’s upcoming
hosting of the World Urban Forum next week, which underscores Egypt’s pivotal
role within the international community in supporting sustainability efforts in
cities, especially in the face of climate change. Cities worldwide are
responsible for 35% of emissions.
The Minister highlighted several initiatives
led by the Ministry to empower and increase youth awareness, including the
Sustainable Development Ambassadors initiative, “Be an Ambassador,” which
promotes awareness among youth regarding sustainable development and its
various dimensions. Other initiatives include the National Initiative for Smart
Green Projects, the global Climatech Run Competition supporting climate-focused
startups, and the United Nations’ “Shabab Balad” initiative, which aligns
national climate and environmental efforts with youth engagement.
In a separate context, Al-Mashat spoke about
the ongoing efforts to finalize the executive regulations of the Planning Law,
which includes provisions to enhance the integration of environmental and
sustainability dimensions within the planning framework. She highlighted the
Ministry’s commitment to harmonizing local resources and external financing to
advance development efforts.
She also underscored Egypt’s role in the
international community in promoting sustainable development efforts and
fostering experience-sharing among countries through South-South Cooperation
and Triangular Cooperation.
In concluding her speech, H.E. Al-Mashat
affirmed that achieving sustainable development is an ambitious goal,
particularly given the global challenges faced today. She stressed the need for
concerted efforts from the state, private sector, civil society, and
development partners to finance sustainable development through innovative
ideas and financing tools to bridge the financing gap.
During the conference, H.E. Dr. Rania
Al-Mashat, along with Ms. Anna Claudia Rossbach, UN-Habitat Assistant
Secretary-General and Executive Director, Dr. Manal Awad, Minister of Local
Development, and Dr. Ashraf Sobhi, Minister of Youth and Sports, witnessed the
awarding of the Global Sustainable Development Award in Cities (Shanghai
Award), honoring the five winning cities for the second cycle: Agadir, Morocco;
Thiruvananthapuram, India; Doha, Qatar; and Melbourne, Australia. Additionally,
Lieutenant General Ahmed Khaled, Governor of Alexandria, received a special
honorary certificate for Alexandria, recognizing the city’s distinguished
heritage.