Minister of Planning, Economic Development and International Cooperation Meets Executive Secretaries of the UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) and the Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA)

Al-Mashat discusses outcomes of the 4th International Conference on Financing for Development (FfD4) and ways to enhance joint cooperation with UN officials.

 

Al-Mashat emphasizes the need for intensified UN efforts to promote debt sustainability and overcome economic challenges in developing and emerging countries.

 

 

H.E. Dr. Rania A. Al-Mashat, Minister of Planning, Economic Development and International Cooperation, held intensive bilateral meetings with development partners and government officials during the United Nations Financing for Development conference in Spain. The meetings focused on discussing ways to strengthen joint economic relations and reviewing the outputs and outcomes of the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development.

 

 

United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA)

 

The Minister of Planning, Economic Development and International Cooperation met with Ambassador Claver Gatete, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA).

 

During the meeting, H.E. Dr. Al-Mashat emphasized the significance of maintaining an open and cooperative dialogue on Debt Sustainability Analysis (DSA), particularly as developing countries strive to achieve the dual goals of financing development and maintaining financial sustainability.

 

She highlighted Egypt's commitment to evidence-based policymaking and expressed appreciation for UNECA's role in promoting regional approaches to debt dialogue and capacity building.

 

H.E. Dr. Al-Mashat affirmed that UNECA plays a pivotal role in fostering regional debt dialogue and providing technical support to member states. By providing knowledge and resources, the commission helps countries improve their financial strategies and develop debt management systems, thereby enhancing their ability to address economic challenges.

 

The two sides discussed ways to develop joint relations. H.E. Dr. Al-Mashat reiterated Egypt's keenness to benefit from the technical expertise and knowledge resources provided by UNECA to refine policies and support inclusive growth. She also highlighted Egypt's commitment to leverage UNECA's support in the field of macro-planning to achieve sustainable development and promote inclusive growth.

 

 

Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA)

 

In another context, H.E. Dr. Rania Al-Mashat met with Ms. Rola Dashti, Executive Secretary of the UN Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA), to discuss a number of cooperation files.

 

During the meeting, the two parties reviewed potential areas of cooperation and support between the Ministry of Planning, Economic Development and International Cooperation and the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA).

 

H.E. Dr. Rania Al-Mashat confirmed the depth of relations between the two sides and the diversity of cooperation files to include a number of vital issues.

 

H.E. Minister Rania Al-Mashat pointed to the tools developed by ESCWA in the areas of financing, costing, budgeting, and improving debt management. She stressed Egypt's interest in and the importance of these tools, especially in light of the recent launch of Egypt’s Integrated National Financing Framework (E-INFF).

 

H.E. Dr. Al-Mashat pointed out the role of the Ministry of Planning, Economic Development and International Cooperation and its responsibility for managing public investments. She outlined that the AI-powered budgeting tool developed by ESCWA could contribute to guiding optimal public spending decisions to achieve sustainable development goals and accelerate their implementation, in line with Egypt's commitments, national priorities, and Egypt Vision 2030.

 

H.E. Minister Al-Mashat underscored the importance of cooperation with ESCWA to bridge data gaps, as development gaps are linked to financing gaps, making it essential to monitor these gaps accurately.

 

H.E. Dr. Al-Mashat also noted the Ministry's role in chairing the Ministerial Committee for Entrepreneurship, which includes various relevant entities.

She indicated potential avenues for cooperation in this area, especially given ESCWA's endeavors to support small and medium-sized enterprises and boost their capabilities in e-commerce.

 

The two sides also discussed the possibility of ESCWA supporting the Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics (CAPMAS) by providing innovative ideas and mechanisms to enhance preparations for the upcoming population census.