Egypt ..UN Week features inspiring joint projects in Alexandria

Ahead of launching the new UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework 2023-2027, the Ministry of International Cooperation and the UN Country Team in Egypt, led a field visit to UN-supported projects in northern governorate of Alexandria.

The visit, led by the Minister of International Cooperation, Dr. Rania Al Mashat and the UN Resident Coordinator in Egypt, Ms. Elena Panova, is part of UN Week, highlighting diverse development projects and programs being implemented as a result of the United Nations Partnership Development Framework (UNPDF) 2018-2022.

First stop of the trip was the Sidi Kerir Petrochemicals Company (SIDPEC), where the UNIDO- supported program for Utilizing Solar Energy for Industrial Process Heat in Egyptian Industry is among key interventions aimed at achieving energy efficiency in the petrochemical industries and adopt low carbon technologies.

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A second, inspiring stop in the field visit included the Caritas Alexandria-run Agamy Community Centre in west Alexandria established by PROSPECTS partners ILO, UNHCR and UNICEF to provide protection and livelihoods support to refugees and vulnerable migrants as well as vulnerable host communities.

Minister Al-Mashat and Ms. Panova met vulnerable and displaced individuals and families benefiting from cross-sectoral support including digital training, entrepreneurship, self-employment and employment linkage support, legal clinics, health awareness activities, and specialized child protection and family support services.

The centre in Agamy was opened in November 2021 to serve 8,000 refugees mainly of Syrian origin living in Al Agami and Borg Al-Arab area. A second centre in Sid Bishr area was opened in November 2022 to serve refugees living in Sidi Bishr and downtown Alexandria which includes 12,000 refugees and asylum-seekers of various nationalities including Sudanese and Yemenis.

So far, the programme has resulted in enrolling 140,000 children and young people in education programmes, as it has also reached over 200,000 people with various protection and inclusion services, including case management and psych-social support.

The day wrapped-up with a visit to a UNODC- supported program aimed at providing a restorative approach to juvenile justice. The project, implemented in partnership with the Ministry of Social Solidarity, provides support to children in conflict with the law by contributing towards continuous improvement and institutionalization of child rehabilitation, reintegration, and the capacity building of the institutions’ management and caregivers.

As of 2022, UNODC is operating in nine social care institutions across Egypt, including two in Alexandria (for boys), one in Bani Suef (for boys), three in Cairo (two for boys and one for girls), one in Giza (for boys) and two in Kafr El Sheikh (one for boys and one for girls); these nine institutions host 860 children (695 boys/165 girls).