Cairo, Egypt – June 27, 2024 – Today, on MSME Day 2024, the global community celebrates the vital role of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in advancing sustainable development. MSMEs account for 90% of businesses and contribute significantly to employment and GDP worldwide. In Egypt, MSMEs are the backbone of the economy, driving local communities and economic resilience. To mark this occasion, Dr. Shaimaa Ali, Senior Manager at the Egyptian Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises Development Agency (MSMEDA), participated in a national radio broadcast on Sha3by FM to highlight how the agency is collaborating with the UN Joint Programme, ‘Rabeha,’ to support women entrepreneurs in Egypt. Rabeha, funded by the Government of Canada and implemented by UN Women and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), aims to empower over 6,300 women through enhanced access to employment and self-employment opportunities.    Joining Forces to Support Women Entrepreneurs
MSMEDA and Rabeha are working together to enhance the local entrepreneurial ecosystem by improving services for women entrepreneurs. Through training programmes and awareness raising campaigns, women are equipped with entrepreneurship skills to succeed in sectors such as date palms, handicrafts, and medicinal and aromatic plants. These efforts also focus on educating women about decent self-employment and entrepreneurship opportunities as well as locally available support services in Beni Suef, Fayoum, Minya, and Wahaat."MSMEDA’s primary objective is to support the growth of MSMEs, which are so important to Egypt’s sustainable development," said Dr. Shaimaa Ali during the radio interview. "Together with Rabeha, MSMEDA is empowering women entrepreneurs to thrive, building a more inclusive and equitable economy."     Promoting Sustainable Practices
Central to the Rabeha and MSMEDA collaboration is promoting circular economy principles and green entrepreneurship. 300 aspiring women entrepreneurs have received specialised training to develop sustainability plans and incorporate circular economy principles into their handicraft businesses.Supporting Market Access
Since late 2023, UNIDO has provided technical training to handicrafts entrepreneurs, focusing on product design, quality, marketing, and market access. With the support of an international design expert, the women developed innovative, eco-friendly products that use locally available materials. Linkages with international companies are also being established to support the integration of women-led businesses into global value chains. "We have reached a stage where we are helping women export their products and assisting them in innovation and marketing," Dr. Shaimaa Ali added. Preparations are underway for the Turathna (Our Heritage) exhibition, scheduled later this year in Cairo. This exhibition, a flagship initiative of MSMEDA, celebrates Egyptian cultural heritage and promotes the economic contribution of the handicrafts sector. Rabeha-supported women entrepreneurs will have a dedicated space to showcase their diverse handicrafts and products at this national event.The Rabeha programme has already supported the economic empowerment of more than 6,500 women in seven governorates through increased access to employment and self-employment opportunities. The programme is implemented by UN Women and UNIDO in partnership with the National Council for Women (NCW), the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MoTI), and MSMEDA, with the generous support of Global Affairs Canada.For more insights into Rabeha and MSMEDA's initiatives and the impact of the programme, listen to the radio interview [https://fb.watch/sZ5SIOHArk/  

Op-edBY Ambassador Ahmed Abu Zeid, Spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Director of Public Diplomacy DepartmentElena Panova, UN in Egypt Resident Coordinator  As we mark the 76th anniversary of United Nations Peacekeeping Operations, we are reminded of the long and proud history, with more than one million peacekeepers having served in more than 70 operations on four continents since its establishment in 1948. Over the past seven decades, UN peacekeepers have tirelessly worked to mitigate conflicts, protect civilians, provide basic security guarantees, respond to crises and facilitate the transition to sustainable peace in some of the world's most challenging settings. In doing so, they have helped countries close the chapter of conflict and open a path to sustainable development, even if major peacebuilding challenges remain.Egypt has been a key supporter of UN peacekeeping efforts, contributing troops, police, civilians, and expertise to numerous missions across the globe. It built up an impressive record of peacekeeping achievements over more than 60 years of its existence. Egypt is one of the key countries that made these successes possible. Since 1960 when it first sent troops to the UN Operation in Congo, more than 30,000 Egyptians have served in 37 peacekeeping missions in 24 countries.As one of the largest contributors of uniformed personnel to UN Peacekeeping, Egypt currently deploys 1602 military and police personnel to the UN peace operations in Abyei, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, South Sudan, and the Western Sahara.As impressive as Egypt’s peacekeeping achievements are over more than 60 years of peacekeeping operations existence, so is Egypt’s sacrifice, with 60 brave Egyptian blue helmets paying the ultimate sacrifice in service of peace.Egypt’s service and sacrifice are recognized globally, demonstrated by its re-election as rapporteur of the UN Special Peacekeeping Operations Committee and its recent election as Chair of the UN Peacebuilding Commission. Furthermore, the adoption of the Cairo Roadmap on Enhancing Peacekeeping Operations as the African Union’s position shows Egypt’s strong leadership in this area.And through the Cairo International Center for Conflict Resolution, Peacekeeping and Peacebuilding (CCCPA), indeed, Egypt has provided a leading voice from the Global South on a wide range of topics, including conflict prevention and resolution, peacekeeping and peacebuilding. The CCCPA stands out as an African Union Center of Excellence, and the only civilian training center on issues of peace and security. Through effective partnership with the United Nations Family in Egypt, CCCPA has emerged as a pillar for fostering dialogue, negotiation and mediation; early warning and early response and crisis management in Africa and the Arab world.In today's complex and evolving security landscape, the need for effective multilateral cooperation has never been greater. Conflicts continue to erupt, often with devastating humanitarian consequences. UN peacekeeping missions are also facing unprecedented, growing threat from the weaponization of digital tools, with hate speech, misinformation, and disinformation undermining their vital work, and fueling violence against peacekeeping personnel, partners, and communities. The United Nations chose as theme for this year’s International Day of UN Peacekeepers: “Fit for the future, building better together,” pointing out the paramount importance for peacekeeping operations to adapt to the changing political landscape and nature of conflicts which have become more complex and interconnected. As peacekeeping has evolved to reflect the populations they serve, women have become increasingly part of the peacekeeping family – making operations more effective. It’s also an area where Egypt has been an active player, with Egyptian female peacekeepers – currently 102 brave Egyptian women are serving with 5 missions across Africa - considered as role models in the peacekeeping missions where they serveIn the words of the UN Secretary-General António Guterres, “in order for our peacekeepers to respond to the challenges of today and tomorrow, they need the world’s support.” In this regard, countries will not be able to address conflict prevention and resolution in an inclusive and sustainable manner without taking into account young people’s perspectives in planning and decision-making. The UN Security Council Resolution #2250 on Youth, Peace and Security is a landmark as it acknowledges the important role youth can play in the prevention and resolution of conflicts.Furthermore, the climate crisis poses an increasing threat to global peace and security, with rising sea levels, droughts, floods and other climate-related events, and highlights the need for UN peace operations around the world to adapt and mitigate the risk of climate driven conflicts. Despite its limited contribution to global warming, Africa disproportionately faces the worst of climate change impacts. The COP27 Presidency’s flagship initiative titled “Climate Responses for Sustaining Peace” (CRSP), has taken a leading role in this regard, by spearheading a discussion on how climate change may exacerbate the risks of violence, conflict or other national vulnerabilities, and the need to approach these through a multifaceted and holistic way. Egypt took the initiative even further by launching the Aswan Forum for Sustainable Peace and Development. The forum, with the next edition scheduled for 2-3 July in Cairo, provides the first of its kind platform in Africa to address the interlinkages between peace and development, championing Africa-led solutions and addressing peacebuilding through a climate lens.Looking ahead, this International Day of UN Peacekeepers reminds us that collective commitment to a stronger engagement for advancing political solutions to conflict is needed more than ever. As the Secretary-General puts it, “UN Peacekeeping is a remarkable enterprise of multilateralism and international solidarity.” In September, member states will meet at the Summit of the Future, where they will jointly tackle how to respond to the world's emerging threats. In this important forum, UN member states have a responsibility to champion multilateralism, join forces and chart a more effective, accountable and inclusive peacekeeping operations, as laid out in the New Agenda for Peace." The New Agenda for Peace is the UN Secretary-General’s vision for strengthening multilateral action for peace, based on international law, in a world in transition. 

Senior UN officials have condemned Israeli air strikes on Sunday that hit a camp for displaced people in Rafah, southern Gaza, reportedly claiming over 35 Palestinian lives, including women and children.
Volker Türk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, voiced his horror at further loss of civilian lives in the war-ravaged enclave.“The images from the camp are horrific and point to no apparent change in the methods and means of warfare used by Israel that have already led to so many civilian deaths,” he said in a news release on Monday.“Sunday’s strike underscores once again that there is literally no safe place in Gaza.”Tweet URL On 26 May, Palestinian armed groups fired a large barrage of rockets towards Tel Aviv in Israel, with several people reported to have been slightly injured. A few hours later, munitions from an Israeli aircraft struck a camp in the Al Hashash area in Rafah.Reports from the ground indicate several explosions and fires were ignited. The area was said to be sheltering people who had been displaced from North Gaza. Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) said that the strike targeted senior “Hamas officials”, and that they were aware of reports that civilians had been harmed in the resulting fires.Call for accountability“I note that the IDF has announced a review, but what is shockingly clear is that by striking such an area, densely packed with civilians, this was an entirely predictable outcome. It is crucial that such reviews lead to accountability and changes in policy and practices,” Mr. Türk said.He reiterated his called on all parties to the conflict to put in place a ceasefire, given the imperative of protecting civilians.“Palestinian armed groups must stop the firing of rockets which are inherently indiscriminate, in clear violation of international humanitarian law. They must also unconditionally release all hostages at once,” the High Commissioner said.“Israel must take immediate steps to protect civilians, and ensure they have access to essential humanitarian assistance, and release all those detained arbitrarily,” he addedEnd hostilitiesTor Wennesland, UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, also underscored the need for investigation.“I call upon the Israeli authorities to conduct a thorough and transparent investigation into this incident, hold those responsible for any wrongdoing to account, and take immediate steps to better protect civilians,” he said in a statement.“All parties in the conflict must refrain from actions that set us further away from achieving an end to hostilities and further jeopardize the already fragile situation on the ground and the broader region.”Tweet URL Attack ‘a monstrous atrocity’Echoing those comments, the UN indepenent human rights expert on housing also urged for “concerted global action” to halt the war, days since the UN’s top court called for an end to Israel’s expanding military operation in Rafah.“Attacking women and children while they cower in their shelters in Rafah is a monstrous atrocity,” said Balakrishnan Rajagopal, UN Special Rapporteur on the right to housing.“We need concerted global action to stop Israel’s actions now.”Appointed by the UN Human Rights Council, Special Rapporteurs are mandated to monitor and report on specific thematic or country situations. They are not UN staff, do not receive a salary, and serve in their individual capacity.No place and no one is safe: UNRWAIn a separate social media post the UN agency assisting Palestine refugees, UNRWA, also expressed concern about the safety and status of colleagues in Gaza with whom contact has been lost after the attack in Rafah. “We do not have an established communications line with our colleagues on the ground. We are not able to confirm their location and are extremely concerned for their wellbeing, and the wellbeing of all the displaced people sheltering in this area. No place is safe. No one is safe.”In addition to the deadly threat of violence, UN humanitarians insisted that famine is still a daily danger for the people of Gaza.Aid delivery delays continueThe warning comes amid an almost total halt to lifesaving aid convoy deliveries since the Israeli military seized Rafah crossing from Egypt into Gaza earlier this month, in response to a rocket attack on Kerem Shalom crossing on 5 May that resulted in the deaths of four Israeli Defense Force (IDF) soldiers.According to UNRWA’s online portal for UN relief items and fuel entering Gaza via Rafah and nearby Kerem Shalom, no aid trucks have made it into the enclave since last Sunday. “Aid is there, tens of kilometres away on the boundaries- while the population gets closer to famine,” UNRWA Director of Planning, Sam Rose, said in a post on X late Sunday. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) also confirmed serious ongoing challenges receiving and delivering aid throughout Gaza, citing frequent delays, arbitrary checks access restrictions by the Israeli authorities.Relief mission pressures Between 1 and 23 May, 31 aid missions were denied access and 40 were impeded, including by “extensive delays, detaining aid workers, firing warning shots and forcing the abortion of officially approved missions”, OCHA said in a post on X on Sunday.“If food and humanitarian supplies do not begin to enter Gaza in massive quantities, desperation and hunger will spread, the UN World Food Programme (WFP) also warned on Monday, after UN Secretary-General António Guterres expressed concern that the humanitarian operation was “near collapse”.“The Secretary-General emphasizes that the Israeli authorities must facilitate the safe pickup and delivery of humanitarian supplies from Egypt entering Kerem Shalom to those in need,” the UN chief’s spokesperson said in a statement on Sunday, after the reported passage of aid relief and fuel from Egypt into Gaza via Kerem Shalom. “The Secretary-General reiterates his call for an immediate ceasefire and for the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages to end the suffering of civilians,” the statement noted, adding that Mr. Guterres had been “dismayed” by the lack of implementation of the recent orders of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) regarding the situation in Gaza. “The decisions of the Court are binding,” the statement continued.  

 Cairo, Egypt – The first of its kind, a session brought together a wide range of private sector representatives, along with the UN Country Team (UNCT) to collectively strategize and enhance cooperation towards accelerating the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Egypt. Held as part of the UNCT’s annual retreat, the event marked a significant step in leveraging partnerships to deliver on sustainable development, with six key transitions in focus.Highlighting the UN position as a convening power, the session saw the active participation of 16 private sector leaders, reflecting a growing recognition of the importance of sustainability and inclusive growth. Among the distinguished attendees were Mirna Arif, Country Manager, Microsoft, Hesham El-Naggar, Vice Chairman of the Board, Daltex, and Eng. Mohamed Zaki El-Sewedy, Chairman of the Federation of Egyptian Industries (FEI).These business leaders, along with others, engaged in insightful and thought-provoking discussions on how their respective business entities can contribute to and benefit from sustainable development initiatives. Accelerating the SDGs through key transitions and enabling actionsCentral to the discussions were the six transitions identified as pivotal for Egypt’s sustainable development. These include: food systems, energy access and affordability, digital connectivity, education, jobs and social protection, and climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution.With only 15 percent of the SDGs on track, the participants emphasized the need for innovative and collaborative approaches to these transitions. In particular, the private sector entities and the UN heads of agencies brainstormed on localizing these transitions and identifying enabling actions to collectively advance priority transitions.  Private sector insights and commitments Private sector representatives shared valuable insights and experiences, highlighting the potential for impactful partnerships.What the UN in Egypt started today will be the beginning of a journey, noted Mirna Aref of Microsoft. She stressed that bringing together UN agencies and the private sector to brainstorm was the essence of inclusion and an important step towards making an impact together.For his part, Hesham El-Naggar of Daltex, pointed out to a growing trend among private companies that focuses on the dual goals of profitability and community support, advocating for partnerships that prioritize sustainability alongside profitability.The gender perspective was also taken into account, with FEI Chairman Mohamed Zaki El-Sewedy referring to plans to integrate more women into the labor force, especially in rural areas, not as a corporate social responsibility program but as a mutual benefit. Call to Action: Strengthening UN-Private Sector PartnershipsThe session concluded with a call to action from the UN Resident Coordinator in Egypt, Elena Panova, who stressed the importance of continued dialogue and collaboration. "This is the first time we have had such a collective conversation between the UN and the private sector. This needs to continue. We should now work on developing solutions to support Egypt’s sustainable development," she said. The participants collectively acknowledged the need for ongoing commitment and the creation of platforms to prioritize, coordinate, and integrate strengthened UN-private sector partnerships. The focus will be on supporting SDGs, particularly in the areas of decent jobs, education, and food systems.