ESCWA reaffirms strategic partnership with Egypt to advance sustainable development

Marking the 74th anniversary of Egypt’s July 23 Revolution, United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) Executive Secretary Rania Al-Mashat reaffirmed the organisation’s strategic partnership with Egypt, highlighting the close cooperation between the two sides in advancing sustainable development, strengthening national institutions, and promoting regional integration. Al-Mashat also extended her congratulations to Egypt’s leadership, government, and people, wishing the country continued progress, prosperity, security, and stability. She said Egypt is a strategic partner of ESCWA in the Arab region, with the two sides maintaining a longstanding partnership based on continuous cooperation in implementing development programmes that support national institutions, build capacities, and advance the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Reflecting the depth of this partnership, ESCWA and Egyptian government institutions have implemented a broad range of technical cooperation initiatives in recent years. These include the development of the Social Expenditure Observatory in collaboration with the Ministry of Finance, the preparation of the State of Development in Egypt report, the development of development finance tools and trade policy simulation models, strengthening the social protection system, supporting policies for persons with disabilities, enhancing statistical capacities, and expanding cooperation in climate change, science, technology, and innovation. The partnership has also focused on specialised capacity-building programmes, including training opportunities for Egyptian government officials through the Jusour initiative, contributing to the United Nations’ efforts to support public administration reform and enhance the capabilities of government employees. Building on these achievements, Al-Mashat reaffirmed ESCWA’s commitment to further strengthening its partnership with Egypt in support of the country’s national development priorities while contributing to sustainable development and shared prosperity across the Arab region.