The National Joint Steering Committee responsible for overseeing the implementation of the United National Partnership Development Framework (UNPDF 2018-2022) met on Sunday to review 2020 achievements against national development priorities and the Sustainable Development Goals and to discuss upcoming development cooperation plans. Held at the premises of the Ministry of International Cooperation, the meeting was convened by H.E. Dr. Rania El-Mashat, Minister of International Cooperation and Ms. Elena Panova, UN Resident Coordinator in Egypt who together co-chaired this group meeting to review the UN’s contribution during 2020 to sustainable development in both the COVID-19 response as well as across the pillars of the UNPDF: Economic Inclusive Growth ‘Prosperity’, Social Justice “People”, Environmental Sustainability and Natural Resource Management “Planet” and Women's Empowerment “Women”. Despite the challenges imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic during 2020, the UN system in Egypt in collaboration with the Government of Egypt (GoE) were committed to progress with their development plan with the aim of advancing and accelerating their commitments towards the achievement of the the sustainable development goals within Egypt’s Vision 2030 and acted swiftly to readjust the joint programms to respond to the emergent situation and to support a better recovery. With a special focus on the ‘Economic Inclusive Growth’ pillar that is co-chaired by the Ministry of Planning and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), the UN in Egypt has partnered with the Egyptian Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency (MSMEDA) to facilitate the provision of financial and capacity building services, launched a national survey about the national Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises MSMEs conducted in collaboration with MSMEDA, the Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics (CAPMAS) and  established the Dairy Hubs in Al-Gharbia Governorate Project, which executed by ILO in cooperation with the Ministry of International Cooperation.    On the ‘Social Justice’ pillar that is co-chaired by the Ministry of Social Justice and UNICEF, the UN in Egypt supported the development of the national Action Plan for Ending Violence Against Children and National Child Protection Case Management Standard Operating Procedures (incl. children on the move, protection in emergencies) and the development and implementation of the new Universal Health Insurance Law. Children and their families receiving cash assistance as an alternative to school meals (due to school closures In addition, technical assistance was provided to expand Social Protection Schemes. Targeted interventions addressed migrants and refugees who received nutrition assistance and health services, improving access to fresh water to households , youth and adolescents engaged in youth-led initiatives in their communities, health staff trained through on-line sessions on key topics related to COVID-19 and Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) were supplied for front line health workers.   Focusing on the ‘Environmental Sustainability’ pillar co-chaired by the Ministry of Environment and the World Food Programme (WFP) , 2020 witnessed the launch of the National housing strategy, drafted the National urban policy, updated the Sustainable Agriculture Development Strategy (SADS), the revision of the environmental law was supported and the joint UN assessment of the impact of COVID-19 on agriculture, food and nutrition security in Egypt. Multiple programs addressed small holders’ farmers who got trained on climate change adaptation measures.  A huge support to the promotion of eco-tourism through the presidential three- year initiative “Live Green” as well as financing projects that works on promoting solar thermal technology in industrial sector. Moreover, there were lot of activities that targted companies to adopt green and circular measures/systems, extended the services of “El Mufeed” digital agriculture and launched of “Our health is our capital” campaign.   And on the ‘Women's Empowerment’ pillar co-chaired by the National Council from Women (NCW), UN Women and International Migration Organization (IOM) , the UN System in Egypt supported wide range of national policies including the development of the National Action Plan of FGM and the drafting process of the National Action Plan on the implementation of the UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security is being extensively supported. The National Review of Gender Statistics was completed and Line ministries statistical units capacitated on gender sensitization and statistics. The support provided to women through the Women’s Citizenship Initiative, obtaining national identification documents and gain access to services. The development of the Action Plan for the Gender Unit at the Ministry of Manpower. In addition, Knocking Door Campaign on elimination of FGM implemented by the National Council of Women (NCW) was supported . Interventions to advocate for adopting gender inclusive policies in private sector companies was carried out. In addition, women’s financial inclusion programme was launched, a rapid gender assessment on social and health impacts of COVID-19 on women living with HIV and a rapid assessment on the impact of COVID-19 on women receiving microloans were carried out and the maternal health care staff trained through online training workshops on improved quality of HIV testing among pregnant women.     Minister of International Cooperation, Dr. Rania Al-Mashat, praised the strategic partnership with the United Nations in Egypt, explaining that the United Nations in Egypt and its affiliated agencies and programs have always had a strategic role in supporting the state’s priorities in various fields to enhance national efforts aimed at achieving development, and in 2020 during the Corona pandemic, relations between the United Nations and Egypt witnessed a significant development, as a result of the reorientation of various relevant partnerships in order to meet the requirements and priorities of the country to confront the Corona pandemic.   From her side, Ms. Elena Panova, the UN Resident Coordinator in Egypt stated; “we are happy with the strategic and outstanding partnership with the Government of Egypt on delivering together on the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), this commitment enabled us to mobilize USD 192.3 million for the implementation of  2020 UN joint activities in Egypt.” She added; “ the continuous engagement and cooperation between the entire UN system with the Government counterparts in Egypt, development partners, civil society, and all stakeholders is the key behind achieving tangible results in advancing and the sustainable development agenda, Egypt’s Vision 2030 and the African Union’s Agenda 2063.”

CAIRO– Today, Egypt received 1,768,800 COVID-19 AstraZeneca vaccine doses delivered via the COVAX Facility. This comes more than a month after the arrival of the first cluster dispatched by COVAX, containing 854,400 doses. To date, Egypt has been allocated to receive a total of 4.5 million doses of AstraZeneca vaccine through the COVID-19 Vaccines Global Access (COVAX). This new delivery is particularly important as Egypt is facing a third wave of COVID-19. According to the latest figures shared by the Ministry of Health and Population, the total number of COVID-19-related deaths recorded 14,091 nationwide, with the ministry announcing 58 deaths on Thursday. Earlier, on May 5, the Egyptian cabinet had announced new measures to prevent the rapid spread of the virus, especially during the Eid al-Fitr holiday (12-14 May). Under the leadership of the Ministry of Health and Population, vaccination is now open to all population over 18 years old with priority being given to healthcare workers, elders and people with chronic disease.   Globally, as of 11 May 2021, there have been 158,651,638 confirmed cases of COVID-19, including 3,299,764 deaths, reported to WHO. As of 10 May 2021, a total of 1,206,243,409 vaccine doses have been administered. Dr. Hala Zayed, Minister of Health and Population, announced “The reception of one million and 768 thousand and 800 doses of the emerging corona virus vaccine produced by AstraZeneca at Cairo International Airport on Thursday morning, as the second batch in the COVAX agreement in cooperation with the International Vaccine Alliance (GAVI).  This is among the 40 million doses that will be received in succession.” Dr. Hala Zayed also thanked the World Health Organization and UNICEF for their continuous  support to Egypt in its plan to address the emerging Corona virus pandemic, and to continue this support with the arrival of the second shipment of  Corona virus vaccines to Egypt as part of the COVAX agreement, stressing the importance of cooperation with partner international organizations in the response to this pandemic. “Fair global distribution of COVID-19 vaccines with the lens of equity is our goal as part of COVAX Facility. The more the people who are vaccinated, especially the most in need in vulnerable groups, such as front line healthcare workers and service providers, the elderly, and people with chronic diseases, the fewer the number of the people who will be exposed to infection, hence we can dramatically halt the spread of the disease in the communities and thus beaming a light of hope in the dark pandemic’s tunnel. We as WHO value the efforts of the Ministry of Health and Population in expanding the vaccination centers network all over Egypt to facilitate and accelerate the process of vaccination. Early this month, the largest vaccination center in the country was opened at Cairo convention center in Nasr city with the capacity to serve 10,000 person per day. It’s time for everyone to register on the Ministry of Health and Population website and receive COVID-19 vaccine to protect ourselves and our beloved ones.”  Dr Naeema Al Gasseer, WHO Representative in Egypt “The impact of COVID-19 has been devastating all around the world, particularly for the poorest families in low and middle income countries. Accelerating equitable access to the vaccine is of paramount importance. The arrival of this second batch of COVAX facility vaccines will help ensure that the most vulnerable families are protected and able to be an active part of the recovery at community level. Children have suffered inordinately over the last year as schooling and access to basic services have been severely disrupted, and with unmeasurable impact on mental health and wellbeing. UNICEF and partners continue to work with the generous support of development partners to support the relentless efforts of the Ministry of Health and Population and other key ministerial partners to contain and mitigate the impact of the pandemic”, said Jeremy Hopkins, UNICEF Representative in Egypt. The arrival of a second shipment of the AstraZeneca/Oxford vaccine was also hailed by the UN Resident Coordinator in Egypt, Elena Panova, as a " true moment of solidarity which gives us a chance in the fight against Covid-19".  COVAX is co-led by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), working in partnership with UNICEF as well as the World Bank, civil society organizations, manufacturers, and others. COVAX has so far shipped over 54 million COVID-19 vaccines to 121 participants around the world. The establishment of the COVAX Facility represents a collective recognition of the need for equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines. On behalf of all those who will be vaccinated through COVAX in Egypt, MOHP, WHO AND UNICEF extend thanks to the governments from Austria, Belgium, Bhutan, Canada, Colombia, Denmark, Estonia, European Union, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Korea, Kuwait, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Monaco, Norway, Netherlands, New Zealand, Philippines, Portugal, United Kingdom, United States of America, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and Qatar. “As the world’s biggest donor to COVAX, the United States is helping ensure equitable vaccine access.  We’re thrilled to see the arrival of another 1.77 million COVAX COVID-19 vaccine doses in Egypt today.  Vaccines are crucial to ending this pandemic, and the U.S. is donating $11B to support COVID-19 response.”, said U.S. Ambassador to Egypt, Mr. Jonathan R. Cohen “The European Union, through its Team Europe initiative, continues to partner with Egypt against Covid-19, as 1.77 million additional doses of Astra Zeneca are reaching Egypt today. Very recently, we celebrated Europe Day (9th of May), carrying a message of solidarity within the EU, and by the EU, with our partners around the globe. This shipment is among the largest undertaken in the MENA region and in Africa. COVAX deliveries to Egypt are to reach a total of 4.5 million doses soon. Team Europe remains at the forefront of global efforts against the pandemic, with a €2.47 billion contribution to the COVAX initiative to help secure 1.3 billion doses of vaccination for 92 low and middle-income countries by the end of 2021”, said Ambassador Christian Berger, Head of the European Union Delegation to Egypt. “I am very pleased to see the arrival of another COVAX vaccine delivery to Egypt. It shows that our ongoing multilateral commitment in the fight against the pandemic bears fruits and gives reason for hope -every vaccinated person brings us closer to returning to normalcy. The multilateral path of cooperation and solidarity is the right answer to this global challenge, and we must not slacken in our joint efforts until there is safety for everyone.”, said Dr. Cyrill Nunn, Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to Egypt. Sir Geoffrey Adams, British Ambassador to Egypt, said: “I am delighted to see that the COVAX scheme is continuing to deliver. This second shipment of 1.77 million vaccines, only one month after the first, will help people here in Egypt who need it most: front-line medical staff, those in higher risk categories, the elderly. It will save lives. We must all work together to overcome COVID-19, and it is a responsibility the UK takes very seriously. I’m proud that, as a major donor to the COVAX facility, we are working to ensure vaccine access for all.” “We need more cooperation and international solidarity to address the global crises of our time. Sweden is now the largest per capita donor to COVAX and on top of that Sweden donated another 1 million doses to COVAX earlier this week. We will continue to work for vaccine equity with our partners in the EU and beyond to ensure a more fair distribution of vaccines. No one is safe until everyone is safe.”, said Mr.Per-Axel Frielingsdorf, Chargé d’affaires at Swedish Embassy in Egypt. “Japan has worked to formulate the COVAX Facility, already contributed 200 million US dollars, and will co-host with the Gavi in June “Advanced Market Commitment Summit” to strengthen this international mechanism to ensure and accelerate equitable access to vaccines regardless of income level.  Japan also decided to extend “Last One Mile Support.” In Egypt, Japan will provide 760 vaccination posts in Egypt with cold-storage facilities through UNICEF to deliver vaccines to each and every person. We will continue to work under the concept of human security, “Leaving no one’s health behind.”, said Mr. NOKE Masaki, Ambassador of Japan to Egypt.    

One piece of technology almost any economic planner would have wished for in 2020 is a crystal ball. That’s because traditional tools like previous years’ projections, trends and models have been left in the gutter in the wake of a brutal pandemic that has paralyzed the global economy.   Egypt’s economy has been no exception, but the country does have a crystal ball of sorts. It’s a way of exploring the future by looking within. It’s a planning exercise called “strategic foresight,” and it brings together stakeholders in a given field to map out possible futures.   In Egypt, COVID-19 posed uncertainties on the future of manufacturing sector, both in terms of new challenges and opportunities. In search of ways to point the sector in a good direction, the Ministry of Planning and Economic Development teamed up with the United Nations in Egypt (led by UN RCO, UNIDO and ITC), and other partners to organize a strategic foresight exercise on ‘COVID-19 and the future of manufacturing in Egypt’ in June-July 2020.  At a time when most forecasts are gloomy or uncertain, strategic foresight helps users understand the future as a map, or series of maps, we create. There is never a single, probable destination but always multiple possibilities to shape the future. Together with a strategic foresight thought leader (Prof. Sohail Inayatullah), diverse pool of industry leaders (led by the Federation of Egyptian Industries) and the development community, the government sat down to use this reflective moment to look backward and forward.   The results  First the group looked at past assumptions of the future—or “used futures” in the lingo of the exercise—that were no longer relevant for industrial development. Such “used futures” included clinging to traditional product manufacturing like garments and food, looking at informality as a burden, low-skilled-labour-intensive manufacturing techniques, working in offices instead of remotely, red tape and other regulatory procedures for business registration, government-as-producer models, and too many one-stop-shop solutions.   Then, with the support of UN experts, the stakeholders did some “horizon-scanning,” considering emerging trends in manufacturing and trade, identifying drivers and opportunities to diversify away from the old manufacturing mentalities. Working with UN experts and real data they developed four divergent scenarios for growth in manufacturing and tapping the unexplored export potential of the country.   But this was no wishful-thinking exercise, as it also involved a technique called “back-casting,” in which participants worked backwards from the possible futures to determine which actions or policies would enable each of them to emerge. With this the group was able to come up with a “preferred future” scenario along with recommendations in key areas to harness the opportunities of the 4th industrial revolution and circular economy in the manufacturing sector.   These recommendations have made it way to the highest levels of Government and are currently being reviewed for action. The initial success of the manufacturing-sector exercise has now prompted the UN and the government to do a series of foresight exercises to inform  the next Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework 2023-2027.  Strategic foresight has been practiced for decades, especially in certain risk-heavy sectors of industry or government such as the military or disaster response. The method enables planning with lots of contingencies in mind and a greater consciousness of internal assumptions, as well as a keen attention to emerging signs of change in the environment.   As the Egypt example shows, strategic foresight is neither a one-off exercise nor a silver bullet. The exercise does not identify a single solution but rather generate innovative ideas by bringing together diverse and non-traditional stakeholders. Supported by data, strategic foresight looks at the future as a system we can interact with, only without the silos or blinds that limit our creativity and innovation. It’s better than a crystal ball because it always focuses on possibilities and the potential for change rather than one predetermined way forward.   And it’s no secret anymore. We look forward to seeing how our Egyptian government counterparts can build on this work as an anticipatory form of policy- and decision-making for 21st-century challenges. We also look forward to hearing from other UN country teams interested in taking up this practice in strategic planning and analysis.

    Amid the COVID-19 crisis, people around the world were bound by varying levels of quarantine and lockdowns, which have inevitably shuttered a lot of businesses and has led to loss of income, and Egypt was no exception.   But as the pandemic has posed unprecedented challenges, thinking outside the box and developing unique ideas to help affected communities – young entrepreneurs and new business start-ups on top of them - was a necessity. That’s what Esmat Osama, a 24-year-old young woman from Egypt, thought. And as someone with a background in communications, harnessing the power of online platforms and digital media was the answer.    “I feel an immense pleasure when seeing ideas brought to life, I am very glad that a participant in one of my sessions is now developing an online application that provides home made food for expatriates, through which housewives can register, list their signature dishes and generate income, another participant has also opened a ballet academy for children and we are still monitoring his work, providing guidance and advice whenever needed ”, says Esmat who is currently working as a field assistant at the UN Resident Coordinator office in Egypt on a project based on entrepreneurship. Esmat achieved one of her dream missions by training more than 1,000 young people on how to use digital platforms to promote their own businesses. She has provided entrepreneurship sessions on how to make a business plan, build business model canvas in addition to generating new business ideas amid the pandemic that are not only innovative but also sustainable. When the pandemic hit, Esmat and her colleagues immediately developed the content and started the sessions, however they faced the challenge of actively interacting with the participants; either due to poor internet connectivity especially in rural areas or reduced level of engagement due to the lack of face to face communication. In that sense, Esmat advised her team that more diverse techniques were needed and hence developed different online activities like quizzes and showcasing interesting short videos to grab the participants’ attention. “To make sure participants don’t lose passion or track of their own projects, we have to follow up on the progress for a period that ranges from three to six months after receiving the training”, Esmat recalls. The online sessions are part of the E-Youth programme funded by EBI - The Egyptian Banking Institute and Y-PEER programme supported by UNFPA. Esmat is also a Y-PEER trainer who conducts sessions on reproductive health and gender-based violence and teaches youth how to use social media to create public awareness on the shadow pandemic, focusing on the increase in domestic violence amid the COVID-19 health crisis.