This year, the United Nations (UN) turns 75, but due to COVID-19, it was probably the most unorthodox celebrations in the organization’s history. The UN has been faced with many global threats, and this year, climate change and a world pandemic have been at the top of the list.
As The New York Times said, “The UN is about to celebrate its birth in 1945 from the ruins of World War II, though “celebrate” might seem an odd choice of word amid the long list of current global woes and the organization’s own challenges.” But with challenges comes opportunity and a silver lining to every situation, and this is what The Ministry of International Cooperation, headed by Rania Al-Mashat, is all about.
COVID-19, all while being a humanitarian crisis, has reignited the necessity to focus on development, economy, production, and simply working to be a better world. Hence, in celebration of the 75th anniversary during the UN General Assembly Week, The Ministry of International Cooperation is launching a thematic film titled “Beyond Food”.
The film basically addressed the World Food Programme’s (WFP) work in Upper Egypt that supports food security, empowering women entrepreneurs, and is supporting ongoing community development.
The UN’s SDGs And What Egypt Is Working On
The ministry is calling for the international community to see the next few years as “Years of Purpose and Progress,” where governments, organizations, private and civil society will unite in the face of urgent crises. The minister repeatedly explained that multilaterialism, in which several countries come together to handle a situation, is the key to development.
“Multilateralism through strengthened inclusive engagement is key to build back better, a sustainable and resilient recovery. By working together, we can rebuild better. We are not only thinking about returning to a world we once had, but creating and advancing to the world we want to live in,” said Al-Mashat
If you’ve been following The Ministry of International Cooperation, then you know “people at the core, projects in action, and purpose as the driver (P&P&P)” is the heart and sole of every mission being launched, and worked on by the ministry. This “Global Partnerships Narrative” was launched last April as a way to engage with local citizens and the global audience.
Briefly, the narrative here is that, there should be trust and interest in human development by presenting real human stories and including everyone in Egypt’s development journey. For the past few years, and especially during COVID-19, the country has been working in various sectors continuously, be it education, health, transportation, women empowerment, gender equality, clean energy, and the list can go on. All of these projects go hand in hand with the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Because The Ministry of International Cooperation is committed to both the SDGs and developing Egypt, they are focused on the economic cooperation and multilateral engagement between Egypt and other countries, international and regional finance institutions as well as specialized agencies of the United Nations.
The ministry, headed by Al-Mashat, oversees the implementation of the United Nations Partnerships Development Framework (UNPDF) since 2018, and it also chairs the steering committee. Ever since, the ministry has enhanced coordination to ensure that strategic frameworks are implemented in line with the list of national priorities.
More Dialogue, More Success, More Development
Al-Mashat is all about global dialogue and ensuring that the international community works together, especially when it comes to pressing issues. Because of COVID-19, there is a greater need to create dialogue and open discussions. During the UN General Assembly Week, Al-Mashat will participate in several events namely “Partnerships to achieve the SDGs in the COVID-19 Era”.
These events, attended by business leaders and global policy leaders at the UN, will look into progress made in the SDGs, and will also aim to provide a platform for meaningful dialogue on the role of the private sector in co-creating lasting solutions for a more sustainable future.
And of course, it goes without saying that the most critical issues we are faced with will also be addressed such as, how to have a sustainable recovery post COVID-19, the impact of climate change, and social inequalities alongside a dedicated session on women.
The session on women is important to the UN as the pandemic has highlighted the unique leadership of women around the world. 925 has previously written about how it was a group of female-led countries that had the least death rates during the pandemic because of their fast response rate.
Community Development Projects And The Ministry Of International Cooperation
The above question is impossible to answer in only a few paragraphs considering that the ministry has been working continously, and more so during COVID-19. But something that is important to highlight are the human stories the ministry has been implementing in partnership with the UN via WFP. The projects revolve around food security, better livelihoods, and overall family support in areas that need it during COVID-19.
Part of the program includes transforming 139 community schools into smart schools that provide integrated services in technology and capacity building for youth. The project also helps support women entrepreneurs with their micro-businesses. This falls under UN’s SDGs of women empowerment and quality education.
Moreover, the ministry views that agriculture is a vital sector to the country’s development as it represents 14% of Egypt’s GDP growth, and constitutes 28% of job opportunities and 55% of rural employment. With that in mind, the ministry is working to make sure farmers, and their families, are ready and skilled to meet the demands of the modern economy.
Currently, there are 13 agricultural projects worth $545.42m being implemented across 27 governorates. This means that 1.5 million women and men are provided with 15,000 job opportunities because of these projects.
This is just one example out of many that The Ministry of International Cooperation is actively working on. Between education, health, business, local development, the list truly does not end. Regardless, all of these projects are part of a bigger picture, a bigger scheme of things, a much brighter future that is yet to come.
