“INNOVATION FOR IMPACT: ADVANCING CORPORATE COMMITMENT TO SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT”

Your Excellency Eng. Sherif El Sherbini, Minister of Housing, Utilities, and Urban Communities,

Your Excellencies,

Distinguished partners, 

Dear UN family,

It is a pleasure to be with you today at this very meaningful gathering: “Innovation for Impact: Advancing Corporate Commitment to Sustainable Development.”

This conversation is essential. We are acutely aware that we are living in a time of great challenge: cascading crises, escalating conflicts, and widening inequalities.

According to the latest UN SDG Report, only 15% of SDG targets are on track globally. Our efforts to protect people from the ever-worsening impacts of climate change are falling short.

Egypt has borne witness to compounding crises. Two conflicts have erupted on its borders, first in Sudan and then in Gaza, and the third one – Iran/Israel is threatening to a descent into deeper conflict, a situation that the region can hardly afford.

At the same time Egypt has grappled with significant socio-economic and cost-of-living challenges. And there is the looming threat of climate change: extreme heat, reduced agricultural productivity, and water scarcity.

Overcoming these challenges, and fulfilling the promise of the SDGs, demands a radical shift in our approach. Business as usual won't suffice. 

Transforming the country towards sustainable and resilient future will demand concerted effort from a wide range of actors. Only through collaboration can we overcome the bottlenecks hindering sustainable development. 

Here the private sector has a powerful role to play.

We at the UN believe in the strength of the private sector to drive sustainable development, to foster innovation, and to mobilize essential resources to achieve the SDGs.

I am heartened as I look out at this room today at the wide range of participants from the business community and civil society.

Let’s be clear - private businesses are the transformative force, driving economic growth, shaping resilient societies, inclusive cities, and shared prosperity.

Corporate responsibility must no longer be viewed as a peripheral effort, but as a strategic tool that contributes meaningfully to the long-term transformation of our communities.

In its partnership with the private sector, the UN is shifting away from traditional donation-based models towards more strategic, long-term partnerships focused on innovation and measurable impact. This involves co-creation, joint ownership of programs, and reciprocal value creation.

This global direction is also reflected in UN‑Habitat’s Strategic Plan for 2026–29, which places a priority on adequate housing, land, and basic services for all, emphasizing the transformation of informal and slum settlements into resilient, inclusive neighborhoods.

This goal cannot be achieved by the government and UN alone. It requires deep engagement from the private sector, not only in financing infrastructure, but in building inclusive urban ecosystems that uphold dignity, equity, and environmental justice.

In this context, the Corporate Responsibility becomes more than just compliance or branding. It becomes a shared language, one that translates business growth into job creation, social investment into community resilience, and innovation into inclusive service delivery.

Let’s take job creation: When private companies invest in sustainable housing or mobility, they are not only building infrastructure, but they are also building livelihoods. From skilled labor to logistics to tech-driven services, private sector initiatives in urban development generate employment across value chains and geographies.

When businesses invest in inclusive urban spaces, parks, markets, walkways, they are investing in social protection: enabling a safer, healthier, and more connected environments, especially for women, youth, and marginalized groups.

When companies back clean transport or climate-smart construction, they are contributing to urban resilience, helping cities adapt to the growing risks of heat, water scarcity, and displacement.

Today’s workshop reflects a shared commitment: to reimagine the partnership between UNHABITAT and the private sector as a push for systemic and inclusive change.

Let us not underestimate the power of dialogues like this one today. What begins as dialogue can evolve into partnerships, and what begins as Corporate Responsibility can become the bedrock of inclusive urban transformation.

Together, we can create not just projects, but pathways. Not just investments, but impact. 

I thank you, and trust today’s dialogue will serve as a powerful catalyst for collaborative action.

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