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17 June 2022
THE SECRETARY-GENERAL –– MESSAGE ON THE INTERNATIONAL DAY OF FAMILY REMITTANCES 16 June 2022
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15 June 2022
FAO & IFAD launch a new project on nutrition-sensitive agriculture water productivity in Egypt
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12 June 2022
UN-Habitat, UNEP builds the capacity of Arab experts on Urban Ecosystem-based Adaptation
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The Sustainable Development Goals in Egypt
The Sustainable Development Goals are a global call to action to end poverty, protect the earth’s environment and climate, and ensure that people everywhere can enjoy peace and prosperity. These are the goals the UN is working on in Egypt:
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30 May 2021
Egypt, UN review 2020 achievements, discuss upcoming development cooperation plans
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.”
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Speech
05 October 2021
SDG Joint Fund Component 1 – Egypt SDG Financing Strategy Government of Egypt-UN Steering Committee Meeting
Excellencies, distinguished ladies and gentlemen,
It my great honour as the co-chair to welcome all of you to this steering committee meeting of the Joint Programme titled “Egypt SDGs financing strategy” funded by the UN Joint SDG Fund. Five UN Organizations, namely, ILO, UNCTAD, UNDP, UNICEF and UN WOMEN, are jointly implementing this programme in close collaboration with the Government of Egypt.
Let me express the sincere gratitude to H.E Dr. Hala El-Said, Minister of Planning and Economic Development and team from the Ministry for the exemplary leadership and guidance on this joint programme thus far, in their capacity as the Government focal point for this joint programme.
The presence of Ministers, deputy and assistant Minsters and top management from 13 Government entities today shows the commitment Egypt places on SDGs and SDGs financing. As the UN system we highly appreciate this level of ownership and collaboration. Let me also warmly welcome Dr. Mahmoud Mohieldin, Executive Director at the International Monetary Fund and the United Nations Special Envoy on Financing the 2030 Agenda, who is the best resource person to deliver the keynote address on the theme of SDGs financing.
As opening remarks to this committee, I want to highlight three points:
Firstly, the world urgently needs to focus on financing to salvage the SDGs: Globally even before the pandemic the world was not on track towards financing of SDGs. In Africa, UNCTAD had estimated an annual SDG financing gap of $200 billion prior to COVID. As Egypt’s VNR 2021 shows, COVID-19 has further exacerbated this situation by slowing down the progress towards SDGs while dealing a heavy blow to the various financing flows towards SDGs. The preliminary estimates of recovery cost from COVID-19 for Africa is billed at $154 billion adding to the pre-existing financing gap of SDGs[1]. Hence, we need to focus on SDG financing more than ever to bring back SDGs on track. This joint programme provides an opportunity for us to do just that.
Secondly, convergence of processes will be the key to enhance SDG financing in Egypt: Egypt has always been a front-runner when it comes to SDGs implementation and SDGs financing. There are several significant efforts made by Egypt with regard to SDGs financing.
Egypt is already experimenting and exploring with several innovative financing instruments to finance SDGs. For example, under the leadership of Ministry of Finance, Egypt was the first country in the MENA region to issue the Green bonds last year. The proceeds from these bonds are earmarked for several SDGs. IMF conducted some preliminary costing of selected SDGs for Egypt, which supported to the development of the medium-term revenue strategy (MTRS).
Further, UN is currently exploring with the ministry of Finance the issuance of SDGs-linked Bonds and development of a framework to support the same.
The Ministry of Planning and Ministry of Environment collaborated to announce an ambitious target of 50% public investment in green projects by 2024/2025.
When it comes to mapping of financing flows to SDGs, the Ministry of International Cooperation made pioneering efforts in mapping ODA financing flows with SDGs. I assume, Dr. Rania will touch upon some of this work today’s discussion session.
Central Bank of Egypt have taken several measures towards mainstreaming sustainability within the Banking system.
While the NCW has been working closely with Ministry of Finance and UN Women on gender mainstreaming of national budget.
At the same time, there are several efforts globally on accelerating SDG financing, Dr. Mohieldin will touch upon some of these efforts.
Hence, we need convergence of these various efforts to make the next big-step in enhancing SDGs financing in Egypt. This joint programme hopes to provide an entry point in this direction by providing a cooperation mechanism for us to discuss our ongoing efforts, identify key challenges for SDG Financing and device collective solutions.
Thirdly, Egypt can be a global role-model in developing a clear and credible SDGs financing strategy. Globally very few countries, especially among large developing countries, currently have a comprehensive SDGs financing strategy. Hence, Egypt can emerge a global success story if it can deliver on a credible SDGs financing strategy. It won’t be an easy task. Some key pieces of information are essential for such a strategy, namely, we need to know how much SDGs will cost in Egypt or how much to invest in SDGs ? how much of our current financing flows go towards the SDGs ? finally, what are the new opportunities to enhance financing of SDGs, especially through innovative financing instruments ?
This joint programme focuses on these three questions by enhancing our knowledge and capacities. I hope that our collaboration on this front will help the Government to capitalize on these building blocks to deliver a solid SDGs financing strategy for Egypt.
Excellencies, distinguished ladies and gentlemen, let me once again express the deep appreciation of the UN system for your presence today.
We look froward to your valuable insights and guidance.
[1] https://unctad.org/osgstatement/unctad-economic-development-africa-report-2020-press-conference
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07 March 2022
Alone but together.. how Samah and her child, Ali, overcame the COVID-19 hardship
When Samah Abdelaziz and her son Ali first tested positive for COVID-19 in October 2021, she was at least assured that she will accompany her 11-year-old son and will be isolated in the same room. Having no other elders who can take care of the child being positive, and with her husband being outside of the country, staying in at the same isolation room with her son at the UN isolation facility at Hilton Ramses Hotel, guided and managed by WHO Egypt, seemed to be a good and convenient arrangement.
It was not until Samah’s oxygen level dropped and she had to be transferred to a hospital to make a CT (medical imaging) scan, that things took a different turn. Samah was prepared to have the CT scan conducted and go back to her son, but little did she know that she would have to be hospitalized for the following week or so.
Samah describes this time as being very challenging not only physically but also emotionally and mentally. “I have a very special bond with Ali. He is a single child. His father and I are his only source of safety and suddenly he is isolated all alone at the hotel, and I am isolated in the hospital,” she says emotionally.
“What made me feel better is that my colleagues at WHO were checking on him almost daily. The staff at the facility also took very good care of him,” she added.
And, thanks to modern technology, Samah was also able to check on Ali through video calls and video chat applications. The doctors and nurses at the facility also kept Ali company, especially the duty nurse, Mahdy Shawky. Ali even drew a little portrait of Shawky as a thank you gesture by the end of his isolation period.
Since the outbreak of COVID 19, WHO with its all three levels, the Headquarters, the Eastern Mediterranean Regional Office and Egypt Country Office have been supporting Egypt in its fight against the pandemic. The support included surveillance and response activities, technical expertise, risk communication and community engagement, procurement, capacity building to healthcare workers, pharmaceutical support, and adverse events following immunization (AEFI) monitoring, besides supporting Egypt in its local production of the COVID 19 vaccine, among other activities. All the while, ensuring that essential health and medical services are not disrupted because of the pandemic.
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06 June 2022
Transforming Egypt’s energy market
Egypt’s energy situation is changing fast. With more than 100 million people and a GDP growth rate of 5.6 percent, the country’s energy demand is ever-increasing. To help meet demand while transitioning towards a sustainable, resilient energy system, over the past decade, Egypt has embarked on an ambitious energy policy reform programme, including a set target to have 40% of its electricity come from renewable energy sources by 2035.
As part of this, the country is transforming its energy market by investing in energy efficiency that has reduced significantly the sharp spike in electricity demand, diversifying its energy mix by investing more in alternative renewable energy sources such as solar and wind energy. Both sources offer safer and more pleasant environments for the cities.
For instance, with UNDP’s support, the government of Egypt has supported a pivotal shift in the country’s lighting market by enabling an uptake in energy-efficient lighting systems, with more than 200 million LED bulbs sold in Egypt since 2015. This has led to a decrease in lighting-related energy consumption for both individual households and businesses.
The government has also heavily invested in various forms of solar power – both large and small scale. Sunlight is abundant all over Egypt, particularly in the South, and Egypt already hosts Benban, one of the largest solar parks in the world in the Aswan Governorate.
In parallel, the market for small-scale solar solutions is constantly increasing. UNDP is supporting the government to ensure it has in place the policies and regulations that enable the investments needed to meet this demand.
Through the award-winning ‘Egypt-PV’ project, UNDP and the government aim to remove the barriers to increase power generation by small, decentralized, grid-connected Photovoltaic (PV) systems, on easily replicable and scalable system design, implemented by households and small- and medium-sized businesses. It also paves the way towards easier implementation of solar PV projects of installed capacity 4MWp to offset 0.6 million tons of CO2equ by 2034.
For homeowners or businesses, solar panels are a practical investment which helps them reduce their electricity bills while having reliable power.
Samar, an Egyptian entrepreneur, used solar power to make her eco-farm project come true. For her farm to be green, she knew it had to run on clean energy. After comparing the costs of solar power compared to usual diesel generators, she realized it was also the choice that made the most economic sense.
“I had a dream of having my own business. And this dream is coming true. When I started my project, I was worried that solar panels would need maintenance and cost more. My perception completely changed when I learned more about the technology and the return on investment over the year. I am able to supply the farm with clean energy through solar panels that costs less than the cost of regular generators”, said Samar.
Over 40 initiatives enabled the setup of 129 solar system plants in 15 governorates, which installed capacity of 11 MWp, with 17.6 GWh/year electricity in different factories, hotels, commercial and admin buildings, houses, educational facilities etc. The project has also extended technical support to the New Administrative Capital that installed 16 MWp over 52 government buildings in the new city.
The UNDP-supported project worked to strengthen the industry’s capacities by delivering professional training to around 200 trainees, with women accounted for more than 60% of the trainees.
The success of the Egypt-PV project, which can help drive the country’s budding solar power transformation, has three pillars. First, the government has established an enabling policy, institutional and regulatory framework to provide the basis for sustainable market growth. Second, efforts are also ongoing to strengthen the supply chain by building the capacity of the key supply–side stakeholders. And third, critically, it was complemented by efforts to get consumers to trust and adopt these new technologies – for instance, by demonstrating their economic competitiveness and reliability.
Sustainable energy sources like solar power are the energy sources of the future. The cost of solar energy continues to decrease while efficiency continues to rise. New forms of solar panels, like those fixed onto surfaces or built into glass windows, are being developed.
This year, Egypt is preparing to host the 27th session of the United Nations Climate Change Conference of Parties in Sharm El-Sheikh, City of Peace. The country is already taking steps toward a greener future, aiming to transform Sharm El-Sheikh into a sustainable, eco-friendly tourist destination that will be a model to replicate in other parts of Egypt as part of the national energy transition.
COP27 will also be the opportunity for Egypt to showcase how it is transforming its energy market to meet national demand and power growth while transitioning to a sustainable, resilient, forward-looking energy system.
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13 May 2022
Government of Egypt, UN sign a Declaration of Intent to strengthen implementation of Egypt’s National Structural Reform Programme
Cairo - The Government of Egypt and the United Nations signed a Declaration of Intent to support implementation of Egypt’s National Structural Reform Programme (NSRP) 2021-24. The new strategic partnership was signed by Dr. Hala El Saeed, the Minister of Planning and Economic Development, and Ms. Elena Panova, the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Egypt, during a ceremony held at the Ministry.
Through the newly signed declaration - guided by the UN Partnership Development Framework (2018- 2022) – the Government of Egypt and the United Nations in Egypt commit to working together to accelerate progress in achieving the sustainable development goals (SDGs) by maximizing the benefits of Egypt’s important and ambitious economic reform programme launched in April 2021. This comprehensive reform package aims to diversity the productive structure of the Egyptian economy especially in three leading sectors: manufacturing, agriculture, and information and communications technology (ICT).
Dr. Hala Al-Saeed, Minister of Planning and Economic Development, said that the declaration intends to enhance participation in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development through a strategic partnership in implementing the National Structural Reform Agenda for Egypt 2021-2024, which was launched last April.
Al-Saeed added that the global economy has just begun to recover from Covid-19 pandemic, but economic activities around the world has been negatively affected by the global geopolitical repercussions, noting the high rate of inflation due to the rise in food prices, which will have wide effects on plans to achieve sustainable recovery.
Al-Saeed affirmed that, recognizing the crucial importance role of partnerships with international organizations, the private sector, civil society, as well as think tanks and academia to promote the achievement of the sustainable development agenda, the signing of the agreement contributes to the establishment of an important partnership between the United Nations and the Egyptian government, which represents a milestone in continuous and successful cooperation.
Al-Saeed pointed to the Egyptian government's launch of the national structural reform program for a period of three years, explaining that it aims to diversify the productive sectors of the Egyptian economy by focusing on three leading sectors, including manufacturing, agriculture, communications and information technology representing the main pillars of the structural reform program.
Al-Saeed added that the program also includes a comprehensive basic pillar related to raising the efficiency of labor market flexibility, developing the technical education and vocational training system in partnership mainly with the private sector, and implementing the labor management information system for the first time.
Al-Saeed continued that during the implementation of the National Structural Reform Program, there will be specific areas of cooperation with the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Egypt, including forecasting the potential effects of reforms on the selected sustainable development goals, in addition to reviewing specific policy measures and quantitative goals specified in the National Structural Reform Program focusing on inclusiveness and sustainability, as well as identifying UN technical assistance and capacity development support to accelerate the implementation of the National Structural Reform Program, as well as facilitating effective multi-stakeholder partnerships and awareness raising. Both parties will work together to collaborate on raising awareness of the benefits and implications of reforms among selected stakeholders through joint campaigns for advocacy and communications.
Al-Saeed thanked Mrs. Elena Panova and affirmed her confidence that the committed efforts will enable developing stronger multi-stakeholder cooperation between the Egyptian government and the United Nations.
From her side, Ms. Panova commented that the UN family in Egypt is proud of its partnership with the Government of Egypt to address the critical structural reforms that will support sustainable development and help ensure that no one is left behind. The engagement with the Government will work to strengthen the reform program through evidence based monitoring and forecasting of policy impacts to help Egypt further recover from COVID-19, cushion the effects of the ongoing geopolitical crisis, and accelerate progress towards the SDGs.
Dr. Nada Masoud, Economic Adviser to the Minister of Planning and Economic Development, presented the main elements of Egypt’s economic reform program focusing on the second phase and the structural reform program. She emphasized on the actual economies and it consistency with Egypt’s Vision 2030 and the 17 UN goals, and takes into account what is related to the Green economy, environmental protection and food security, explaining that the program addresses 6 pillars, 31 policies and 117 measurement indicators. Masoud also touched on the role of partners in achieving the program and its pillars.
The agreement entails joint delivery of interventions in six areas to help boost the economic reforms and ensure positive impact across the SDGs and for the lives and livelihoods of vulnerable groups. This includes forecasting the potential implications of reforms on different SDGs such as poverty reduction and job creation. The United Nations and the Minister of Planning and Economic Development will also jointly review specific policy measures to ensure they take into account the needs of all regions and social groups, with a special focus on youth, women and girls and the most vulnerable segments of the population. In addition, the partnership will create a high-frequency monitoring system to measure the impact of reforms along with new multi-stakeholder partnerships to support implementation and raise awareness of the reforms. Finally, the United Nations and the Minister of Planning and Economic Development will together identify areas where UN technical assistance and capacity development can help fast-track implementation.
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15 April 2022
The Journey of a Syrian Refugee and a Pharmacist to Be
In 2012, Maryam fled to Egypt with her mother and siblings, hoping to establish a new life where they can be safe. “When we left Syria, we were all alone; we didn’t know anyone in Egypt and that was when I realized that I can rely on nothing except my education and eventually a successful career,” Maryam said after she mentioned that her parents had not completed secondary school.
Maryam’s family do not consider education a priority and her parents never thought their daughters one day would ever need to get a college degree or seek a job. But Maryam was of a different mind, especially since they were forced to flee Syria and seek refuge in Egypt. She challenged her family and stood up for her right to access education and complete her secondary education in hope to get accepted to a university and get a higher education degree.
While trying to adapt to a new chapter of her life in Cairo, Maryam decided to support other young refugees with their studies. She tutored them for a fee, and soon earned enough money to cover her basic needs. Despite the difficult conditions at home, she was able to pass her studies with a total of 97% in her high school grades. She now felt more adamant than ever to pursue her higher education and sought a tertiary education scholarship, as she aspired to obtain a degree in medicine or pharmacy.
In 2018, Maryam applied for the DAFI (Albert Einstein German Academic Refugee Initiative) scholarship programme offered by UNHCR and the Government of Germany, which provides high-achieving refugee and asylum-seeker students with a chance to earn an undergraduate degree in their hosting countries.
It was not an easy journey. But with persistence and determination, her application for the DAFI scholarship was accepted and Maryam is now enrolled in her fourth year in the Faculty of Pharmacy at Cairo University. “I was determined to obtain good grades in high school to be able to negotiate with my parents and convince them to allow me to enrol in a university, that is far from our home, in a country that still felt foreign to us,” she explained.
Egypt hosts more than 271,000 refugees and asylum-seekers registered with UNHCR from 65 countries, of whom 48% are women and girls, while 50% are from Syria and were welcomed with open arms by the Egyptian society.
UNHCR, along with governments and host communities, work on ensuring that girls and women have access to the same opportunities that boys and men get, to be able to show their potential and enhance their lives.
I have seen a whole new world when I started university
“University is more than just a higher-level educational institution, it is a place to meet new cultures and a way to learn how to depend on yourself,” said Maryam acknowledging how she has changed since she joined university. “I have seen a whole new world when I started university; I have met different people and I learned the importance of accepting others.”
In Egypt, UNHCR works on expanding the access of refugees and asylum-seekers to tertiary education. In the academic year 2021/2022, there are 523 DAFI scholars in Egypt, including 119 graduates, 204 ongoing students in addition to 200 new scholars. There are also four students received scholarships to attend the Egypt-Japan University of Science and Technology in Alexandria.
After Maryam was able to enter Cairo University, her example inspired and encouraged her younger siblings to study harder and continue their education as she did. With a victorious smile lighting up her face, Maryam said “I am proud that I was able to change my parents’ perception about girls’ education and now they are the ones who advocate for other Syrian girls to access education in our community.”
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11 April 2022
Narrowing the gap
“I wish that parents would give their daughters a chance to find themselves and develop their talents. I wish all mothers and fathers would be like mine,” wrote Samaa Marghany, 13 years old, in her one-minute film which she also directed and narrated.
At the first row of Samaa’s film premiere, sits her mother Hanan and her father Marghany along with her sisters Yomna, 23 years old, Manar, 19 years old and Yasmine, 9 years old. The public screening of Samma’a film is taking place at a local association in Aswan where she lives with her family.
Do you understand me?
Samaa has a passion for art and acting and wants to pursue a career in filmmaking. She is eager to help girls and boys have a better life, and she believes that her films will be contributing to a certain message; that “Lots of people don’t know how to raise children, yet they still have them. I want to be able to raise awareness on what children really need”.
Samaa’s eyes sparkle with determination as she passionately speaks on a number of issues that she wants to help change in her community. She wants girls to have free choices in life and pursue their dreams. As she attempts to insist on her points, Samaa repeats the question: “Do you understand me?” Her ambition remains that every girl is enabled to communicate openly with her parents and gets their support in pursing her aspirations.
“I wish to ask a question, why don’t we get close to our daughters, talk and discuss with them, why do we give girls dos and don’ts? Why can’t I do something because I am a girl? Parents should help their daughters, not discriminate between them and boys. I wish all parents will give their daughters a chance to find themselves and develop their talents,” says Samaa.
Samaa represents hundreds of thousands of girls participating in the Girl’s Empowerment National Initiative “Dawwie” led by the National Council of Childhood and Motherhood and the National Council of Women in cooperation with UNICEF and other partners.
Encouraged by her mother and older sister, Samaa has actively engaged with her peers in Dawwie’s interventions including storytelling circles, intergenerational dialogue, and digital literacy training to speak up on issues of their concern.
Tears of Joy,
Hanan, Samaa’s mother, is a school teacher. She recalls being told by some of her relatives not to expect to be congratulated for giving birth if the baby was a girl! For Hanan, this terrible moment made her even more determined to ensure that her girls get the best start in life and develop in a caring family which boosts their opportunities. Her journey was not easy. Hanan was criticized by some of her extended family members for simply allowing her elder daughter Youmna to travel to a different city, where she obtained her university degree.
In addition, Hanan also had to convince Yomna’s father to accept that their daughter starts a modeling career.
Hanan says she is indeed proud of her four girls. When asked to comment on Samaa’s film, Hanan added with her eyes filled with tears of joy: “I am very happy for Samaa and her sisters. I feel that all what I have worked very hard for is coming to fruition. My girls are what they want to be, and they are pursuing their goals with persistence and confidence, ” said Hanan.
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11 April 2022
Pfizer vaccines delivery in Egypt: A story of the essential cold chain
On the 30th of September, Egypt received the first donation of Pfizer vaccines, gifted from the U.S. Government. Around 1.6 million vaccines, the first batch of a total of 8.2 million vaccine doses to be delivered to Egypt in the coming weeks and months.
Delivering only vaccines would not have make much sense. Without the proper cold chain established by the Ministry of Health and Population with UNICEF support, these vaccines could have been thrown away after few weeks.
Vaccines are sensitive biological products that lose their potency and effectiveness if they are exposed to temperature outside of the required margins. In the case of Pfizer vaccines, they have to be kept at ultra-low temperature, between -60°C and -80°C (-112°F to -76°F)! This is three to four times colder than a regular home freezer, which poses challenges in a country like Egypt.
UNICEF/Egypt 2021/Jonathan Crickx
One of the key roles for UNICEF was to procure and deliver the fridges that will allow storage and transport of the vaccines at ultra-low temperature.
“Without these fridges, we wouldn’t have been able to store the vaccines and that’s why we were in a race against time, to make sure we would have the freezers before the vaccines arrival” explains Essam Allam, Health Officer at UNICEF Egypt Country Office.
As early as beginning of the year 2021, UNICEF and the Ministry of Health and Population explored the possibility of receiving some of these new COVID-19 vaccines. In June 2021, the United States Government announced the donation of millions of COVID-19 vaccine doses.
UNICEF/Egypt 2021/Jonathan Crickx
UNICEF’s Supply Division has decades-long expertise in terms of vaccine cold chains, procuring and delivering vaccine fridges and freezers to support routine immunization and outbreak response around the world. But the cold chain for Pfizer vaccines is a completely different story and required UNICEF to work at unprecedented speed to source and transport the critical equipment before the vaccines arrive to countries.
“The freezers delivered by UNICEF are products of a completely new technology; they require very specific handling and storage conditions. For example, the weight is more than 350 kilos each, and they need to be transported and moved whilst remaining vertical. They require generators to ensure consistent electric supply, and the temperature of the room where they are stored needs to be constantly around 20 °C degrees” says Oliver Petrovic, Chief of Child Survival and Development section in UNICEF.
UNICEF/Egypt 2021/Jonathan Crickx
Under the leadership of the ministry, and in close cooperation with WHO, Pfizer, and USAID, UNICEF procured and delivered these freezers quickly. The announcement of the U.S. donation was made in June 2021, and the expected delivery had to take place within only a few months. The clock was ticking. “We were working around the clock” remembers Oliver Petrovic. “There were so many aspects that we needed to learn, while making very fast decisions. In addition, we also had to share the knowledge and information needed for our colleagues from the Ministry of Health and Population to also learn quickly how to handle this new equipment. When we started the procurement for these freezers, we thought we would never been ready in time, but ultimately, we were!”
UNICEF/Egypt 2021/Jonathan Crickx
Each of these 868 liters freezers can accommodate 300.000 Pfizer vaccine doses. With 6 freezers, this room has a capacity to store 1.8 million doses
In many countries, the authorities built one or two centers to store vaccines requiring an ultra-low temperature cold chain. In Egypt, the Ministry of Health and Population managed to deploy six centers in different geographic locations. This has been a priority for the Minister, Dr. Hala Zayed, who wanted to ensure fair and equitable access to these vaccines across the country.
Almost 14 million people received their first dose of vaccines, while 6,870,521 people received the second dose, and enrollment is steadily rising. The Ministry of Education has announced the roll out of the vaccines among teachers and education staff. This comes in addition to several large-scale vaccination campaigns reaching millions in Egypt.
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Press Release
17 June 2022
THE SECRETARY-GENERAL –– MESSAGE ON THE INTERNATIONAL DAY OF FAMILY REMITTANCES 16 June 2022
The International Day of Family Remittances recognizes the contributions of hundreds of millions of migrant workers to their communities of origin.
Family remittances are not only a main source of income for households, but account for a substantial portion of the Gross Domestic Product in many low-and-middle income countries. Global remittances are three times greater than Official Development Assistance and help reduce poverty, improve health and education, and advance gender equality.
This year’s theme, “Recovery and Resilience through Digital and Financial Inclusion”, highlights an urgent priority. Nearly half the world’s population cannot access the internet. And COVID-19 has exacerbated the digital divide.
We must accelerate our efforts to bring everyone online, while investing in digital tools and financial inclusion for all. The cost of remittances must be brought close to zero to help families manage their obligations efficiently.
The war in Ukraine is also impacting remittances and aggravating the widespread cost of living crisis. As countries redirect traditional development assistance to meet immediate needs, protecting the function and delivery of remittances is vital. This will strengthen resilience, drive economic growth and foster social inclusion.
On this Day of Family Remittances, let us renew the commitment of the Sustainable Development Goals to leave no one behind.
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Press Release
15 June 2022
FAO & IFAD launch a new project on nutrition-sensitive agriculture water productivity in Egypt
Cairo, June 13 2022
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in partnership with the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the Government of Egypt have launched a new project to strengthen the capacities of smallholder farmers to adopt sustainable management of water, soil and agronomic practices that will contribute to increase productivity and the quality of production in terms of nutrient content and economic value. The inception workshop, held in hybrid mode with virtual and physical participants, brought together stakeholders from government, national research institutes and development organizations operating in the agriculture, water and nutrition sectors.
The project, "Increasing water productivity for nutrition-sensitive agriculture and improved food security and nutrition," is being implemented in six pilot countries: Benin, Niger, Mozambique, Rwanda, Egypt and Jordan. The project aims to work with between 600 and 1 000 smallholder farmers as well as 200 to 300 extension agents, field supervisors, decision-makers and technicians.
To support the acceleration of progress towards the achievement of sustainable development goals on water (SDG 6) and nutrition (SDG 2), the project will promote the coordination of actions among water, agriculture and nutrition sectors at national level. In addition, the project aims to provide farmers with the technical knowledge necessary to achieve "more nutrients and better economic prospects per drop".
Mr. Mohamed Abdelgadir, IFAD Country Director in Egypt said “There is a need to continue our collaborative efforts to provide tailored intervention, promote strategies and policies in the region that can mitigate the exacerbating social, economic and environmental conditions of family farmers and, especially, increase their resilience and food security.”
Prof. Dr. Mohamed Soliman, President of the Agriculture Research Centre (ARC) of the Ministry of Agriculture and Land Reclamation (MALR) of Egypt said “Food system transformation is needed to address the hundreds of millions of people without adequate access to food or water for a healthy life. The implementation of the project’s methodological approach will ensure capacity development of the beneficiaries and contribute to transforming the agri-food systems in Egypt.”
The project′s methodological approach will target field implementation using farmer field school or similar approaches in partnership with government extension services. “The project will target the integration of market and other incentives to increase the production of high nutrient-dense crops and crop diversification by linking farmers with existing public procurement programmes and territorial markets in Egypt,” said Mr. Paulo Dias, Project Manager in the Land and Water Division of FAO.
Prof. Dr. Naiim Moselhy, National Project Coordinator of the Promoting Resilience in Desert Environment (PRIDE) said “PRIDE′s overall objective is to reduce poverty and enhance food and nutrition security in rural areas through remunerative, sustainable and resilient livelihoods. We look forward to working together with the newly launched project.”
Ms. Audrey Nepveu, Global Technical Specialist at IFAD said “PRIDE is one of the 8 nutrition-sensitive projects supported by IFAD in the region. We look forward to FAO’s contribution to improve on the 31 million USD dedicated to nutrition-sensitive activities in the rainfed context of Matruh in Egypt.”
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Press Release
12 June 2022
UN-Habitat, UNEP builds the capacity of Arab experts on Urban Ecosystem-based Adaptation
MENA, 12 June 2022: UN-Habitat Regional Office for Arab States launched a training course on Urban Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA) designed in collaboration with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), targeting government officials and adaptation experts in the Middle East and North Africa. The overall objective of the training, which took place in the last week of May in Jordan, is to provide a broad set of approaches to urban adaptation that depend on the management of ecosystems and their services to minimize the vulnerability of cities in the Arab region to the impacts of climate change.
The training aims to enable the experts working on adaption to effectively integrate the use of ecosystem services and biodiversity into the overall adaptation strategies in their respective countries. Furthermore, the training course intends to offer exposure to different perspectives and experiences of EbA application presented by a group of diverse guest speakers from governments and industry. Finally, the training will support unlocking potential funding and building a programme at the regional level.
“Continuing to support climate action in the Arab region for sustainable urbanization and building the capacity of cities to address the impacts of climate change, UN-Habitat is keen to support nature-based solutions and Ecosystem-based Adaptation,” Erfan Ali, UN-Habitat Regional Representative for Arab States said in his opening remarks. “UN-Habitat is keen to continue its cooperation with UNEP with the aim of promoting adaptation to climate change in Arab cities and building capacities in the area of green recovery.”
EbA, which is gaining increasing attention from the international community, is defined as "the use of biodiversity and ecosystem services as part of an overall adaptation strategy to help people to adapt to the adverse effects of climate change".
“Ecosystem-based approaches to adaptation are solid and effective to reduce the vulnerability of urban communities to climate change,” Tarek El-Khoury, Regional Coordinator for Resource Efficiency and Sustainable Consumption and Production, UNEP Regional Office for West Asia, said. “Protecting, maintaining and rehabilitating priority ecosystems such as wetlands, forests and agroecological systems is needed in the Arab states and this can start by working on institutional strengthening and capacity building of city and national management authorities.”
UN-Habitat Regional Office for Arab Stated first joined forces with UNEP Regional Office of West Asia in 2021 through an agreement to promote cities’ climate adaptation and ecosystem restoration, build capacity on green recovery and reconstruction and integrate the Sustainable Development Goals into recovery and reconstruction processes in conflict-affected countries.
Note to Editors:
About the UN-Habitat Regional Office for Arab States:
UN-Habitat supports Arab countries in their efforts to advance sustainable urbanization as a driver of development and peace. UN-Habitat Regional Office for Arab States provides knowledge, policy advice, technical assistance and collaborative action for eighteen countries across the Arab region and is currently present in thirteen Arab countries, supporting partners through a diversified portfolio, centring around the four main pillars of action of the 2020-2025 Strategic Plan.
For more information, please contact:
Yasmine Mostafa, Knowledge Management and Reporting Officer, Regional Office for Arab States (ROAS), United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat).
yasmine.mostafa@un.org
About the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
UNEP is the leading global environmental authority that sets the global environmental agenda, promotes the coherent implementation of the environmental dimension of sustainable development within the United Nations system, and serves as an authoritative advocate for the global environment.
For more information, please contact:
Tarek ALKHOURY, Regional Coordinator for Resource Efficiency and Sustainable Consumption and Production, UNEP Regional Office for West Asia: tarek.alkhoury@un.org
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Press Release
08 June 2022
For a Reaffirmed Collaboration on Preventing Grave Violations Against Children in the Arab World
Cairo/ New York - The Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, Virginia Gamba, concluded a three-day visit to Cairo which provided opportunities for her Office and the League of Arab States to solidify their pledge to end and prevent grave violations against children in armed conflict in the Arab world and discuss the way forward.
The two entities jointly reaffirmed the importance to protect the rights of children before, during, and after conflict and their longstanding engagement in collaborating in delivering this promise.
During her visit, the Special Representative welcomed the opportunity to meet with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Arab Republic of Egypt, H.E. Sameh Hassan Shoukry, to discuss closer collaboration on child protection. As part of her engagement with the League of Arab States, she further exchanged with the Secretary-General of the League of Arab States, H.E. Ahmed Aboul Gheit. Additionally, she met with the Assistant Secretary-General for Social Affairs of the League of Arab States, Dr. Haifa Abu Ghazaleh, the Permanent Representative of the State of Qatar to the League of Arab States, H.E. Ambassador Salem Mubarak Al Shafi, the Permanent Representative of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to the League of Arab States, H.E. Ambassador Abdulrahman bin Saeed Al-Jumah, the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Norway to Egypt and Libya, H.E. Hilde Klemetsdal, the United Nations Resident Coordinator, Ms. Elena Panova, and members of the United Nations Country Team.
Children and youth account for a majority of the population in the Arab world, including in conflict-affected countries, making the collaboration around the Children and Armed Conflict mandate of paramount importance for the partnership between the UN and the LAS, the Special Representative emphasized. There has been progress in recent months by Arab States in enhancing the protection of children in armed conflict through concrete and practical measures, and the United Nations supports such efforts.
“Children and youth represent a dynamic, powerful, and resilient strength for the Arab region. The past decade has had its share of challenges for them, with an increasing number of social, political, and security changes in the region; and in that context, the protection of all children and of their rights must remain a priority,” the Special Representative stressed.
New and emerging crises, as well as protracted armed conflict in countries of the region, have forced millions of children to flee their homes, making them more vulnerable to being recruited or used by armed groups, killed or maimed, or victims of other crimes such as sexual violence, including trafficking for sexual purposes. In situations of conflict, children’s existing vulnerability to violations of their rights has been exacerbated in recent years by the COVID-19 pandemic, making their effective protection from the harms of war an increasingly remote goal.
Regional organisations have an instrumental role to play in the prevention of grave violations against children as highlighted recently by the Security Council in Resolution 2427 (2018), which emphasized the critical contribution of regional and subregional organizations in protecting children from hostilities as well as in supporting national authorities to do so.
“The protection of children before, during, and after conflict, requires us to take stronger prevention steps, including in our mediation and peace negotiation efforts, to ensure that all children can access a peaceful future, per the promises of the Sustainable Development Goals. We have a common responsibility not only to protect children from the ravages of wars but also to support them in their recovery and equip them with the tools that are required to build peaceful and wealthy societies throughout the Arab world,” Virginia Gamba added.
Note to editors:
Countries on the CAAC agenda in the Arab region: Iraq, Lebanon, Libya, State of Palestine, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Yemen
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For additional information, please contact:
Fabienne Vinet, Communications Officer, Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict
+1-212-963-5986 (office) / +1-917-288-5791 (mobile) / vinet@un.org
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Press Release
04 June 2022
The secretary-general's Message on World Environment Day 5 June 2022
The theme of this year’s World Environment Day, “Only One Earth”, is a simple statement of fact. This planet is our only home. It is vital we safeguard the health of its atmosphere, the richness and diversity of life on Earth, its ecosystems and its finite resources. But we are failing to do so. We are asking too much of our planet to maintain ways life that are unsustainable. Earth’s natural systems cannot keep up with our demands.
This not only hurts the Earth, but us too. A healthy environment is essential for all people and all 17 Sustainable Development Goals. It provides food, clean water, medicines, climate regulation and protection from extreme weather events. It is essential that we wisely manage nature and ensure equitable access to its services, especially for the most vulnerable people and communities.
More than 3 billion people are affected by degraded ecosystems. Pollution is responsible for some 9 million premature deaths each year. More than 1 million plant and animal species risk extinction, many within decades.
Close to half of humanity is already in the climate danger zone – 15 times more likely to die from climate impacts such as extreme heat, floods and drought. There is a 50:50 chance that annual average global temperatures will breach the Paris Agreement limit of 1.5 degrees Celsius in the next five years. More than 200 million people each year could be displaced by climate disruption by 2050.
Fifty years ago, the world’s leaders came together at the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment and committed to protecting the planet. But we are far from succeeding. We can no longer ignore the alarm bells that ring louder every day.
The recent Stockholm+50 environment meeting reiterated that all 17 Sustainable Development Goals rely on a healthy planet. We must all take responsibility to avert the catastrophe being wrought by the triple crises of climate change, pollution and biodiversity loss.
Governments need urgently to prioritize climate action and environmental protection through policy decisions that promote sustainable progress. To that end, I have proposed five concrete recommendations to dramatically speed up the deployment of renewable energy everywhere, including making renewable technologies and raw materials available to all, cutting red tape, shifting subsidies and tripling investment.
Businesses need to put sustainability at the heart of their decision-making for the sake of humanity and their own bottom line. A healthy planet is the backbone of nearly every industry on Earth.
And as voters and consumers we must make our actions count: from the policies we support, to the food we eat, to the transport we choose, to the companies we support. We can all make environmentally friendly choices that will add up to the change we need.
Women and girls, in particular, can be forceful agents of change. They must be empowered and included in decision-making at all levels. Likewise, indigenous and traditional knowledge must also be respected and harnessed to help protect our fragile ecosystems.
History has shown what can be achieved when we work together and put the planet first. In the 1980s, when scientists warned about a deadly continent-sized hole in the ozone layer, every country committed to the Montreal Protocol to phase out ozone-depleting chemicals.
In the 1990s, the Basel Convention outlawed the dumping of toxic waste in developing countries. And, last year, a multilateral effort ended the production of leaded petrol – a move that will promote better health and prevent more than 1.2 million premature deaths each year.
This year and the next will present more opportunities for the global community to demonstrate the power of multilateralism to tackle our intertwined environmental crises, from negotiations on a new global biodiversity framework to reverse nature loss by 2030 to the establishment of a treaty to tackle plastics pollution.
The United Nations is committed to leading these cooperative global efforts, because the only way forward is to work with nature, not against it. Together we can ensure that our planet not only survives, but thrives, because we have Only One Earth.
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