Minister of International Cooperation Rania Al-Mashat held a meeting Thursday with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to discuss strengthening the partnership between Egypt and the United Nations in line with Egypt's development goals. The meeting was attended by Randa Abul-Hassan, resident representative for the UNDP and Ambassador Lamia Mukhaimer, director of international cooperation for development at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The meeting comes within Egypt's framework of partnership with the United Nations for 2018-2022, which is composed of four outcomes; namely, inclusive economic development, social justice, women's empowerment and sustainable management of natural resources. It aims to accelerate progress in achieving the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly in light of the Covid-19 pandemic, according to Al-Mashat. The minister noted that the partnership framework with the United Nations through 2022 was designed via inclusive engagement of different stakeholders in society, including ministries, United Nations agencies, civil society organisations and the private sector, ensuring that all development efforts are harmonised and streamlined. The minister also shed light on development initiatives during the pandemic, which focused on protecting citizens from the virus, accelerating the pace of digital transformation, supporting medium, small and micro enterprises, and supporting the national strategy for the empowerment of women. During the meeting, the UNDP's Abul-Hassan reviewed the cooperation file with the Egyptian government in several areas, including the comprehensive response to the economic and social repercussions of the pandemic. Abul-Hassan explained that the UNDP will work to strengthen institutional frameworks and partnerships, through development solutions that reduce poverty by promoting decent work, increasing resilience to climate and health risks, and empowering women. She also noted that the number of ongoing projects of the UNDP in Egypt total 50 in more than 20 governorates, with an allocation worth $60 million appropriated in 2019. The current year budget amounts to $66 million, in which $1 million was allocated to support the response to the Covid-19 pandemic in Egypt.
