The Egypt-International Cooperation Forum (Egypt-ICF) has released a detailed blueprint to guide the international community in rebuilding societies in a green, inclusive, and equitable manner in the post-COVID-19 era and ensure that global decision-makers follow through on the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The Cairo Communiqué, released at the conclusion of the inaugural Egypt–ICF, provides a set of recommendations for international policymakers to embed into their sustainable development efforts to ensure that societies build back better – and no one is left behind – as the world continues to battle the COVID-19 pandemic, a climate crisis, and an economic depression.
The importance of multilateralism and cooperation, advancing the SDGs, private sector engagement, combating climate change, digital trade, digital transformation towards an inclusive ecosystem, developing a roadmap to food security, and investing in human capital are among the 9 key themes covered in the 38-point document.
The communiqué explains how the COVID-19 pandemic has prompted a call for more effective and agile multilateral cooperation capable of addressing pressing and emerging global challenges, as well as a call to action for global governments to commit to concerted efforts toward inclusive, effective, and harmonised cooperation in the pursuit of sustainable development.
It also noted that the pandemic’s severe impacts can have a silver lining and that the need to recover economically from COVID-19 will compel the international community to see how post-pandemic recovery and sustainability are connected.
Commenting on the release of the communiqué, Egypt’s Minister of International Cooperation, H.E. Dr. Rania A. Al-Mashat, said: “The growing inequalities caused by dual challenge of COVID-19 and climate change have moved us further away from our global promise of delivering the sustainable development goals. The situation can, and must, be turned around.
“We know that challenges bring opportunities. These opportunities exist now, and we know, the science and the technology to capitalize on them for the good of everyone in the world. We need the collective will of the international community and a unity of purpose that catalyzes the urgent and ambitious action we must take to forge an inclusive, green economic recovery.”
She added: “The recommendations laid out in the Cairo Communiqué can play a pivotal role in making this action happen. Building on the momentum created by the Egypt-ICF, we will be working over the next 12 months, alongside our international partners, to ensure the recommendations outlined in this communiqué are implemented.”
The communiqué recommended that current South-South and triangular cooperation platforms be strengthened and channels for sharing information and experience to scale up successful practises through cooperative cross-border frameworks.
At the Egypt-ICF Closing Ceremony, H.E. Collen Vixen Kelapile, the newly elected President of the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), released the first Cairo Communiqué centred on development. H.E. Kelapile praised the communiqué’s proposals, emphasising that the communiqué’s nine major themes address the critical concerns that the globe faces in the aftermath of the pandemic.
He emphasised that “investment in infrastructure is crucial,” as the Cairo Communiqué clearly emphasises, and called for the execution of the Cairo Communiqué’s recommendations in order to achieve a green and inclusive recovery, ensuring that “Leave No One Behind” as per the UN’s global mandate.
The 38-point strategy also urged each country to find creative techniques to tracking their progress in order to connect the outcomes of international development cooperation initiatives with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. It also described how multilateralism, international cooperation, and public-private sector collaborations may contribute to the $3.7 trillion in annual funding needed to close the SDGs financial gap and put the world on a path to a green recovery from the pandemic.
The importance of creating an enabling environment for cross-border e-commerce and international collaboration to help Africa rebuild post-COVID and strengthen its resilience against future health and economic shocks were also highlighted in the communiqué, which outlined the role of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) in boosting growth and integration of African economies and the role of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) in boosting growth and integration of African economies.
It stressed the importance of taking joint action to expand scientific research and innovation in order to increase Africa’s resilience to climate change and other shocks that endanger its people’s food security.
The importance of harnessing digital technologies’ potential to empower women and young entrepreneurs post-pandemic was highlighted in the communiqué, as was the need for policy reforms to improve regulations and create the enabling environment to facilitate the youth-led digital transformation in Africa.
The strategy also asked governments worldwide to prioritize human development as part of the post-pandemic agenda and take collective responsibility for ensuring that no one is left vulnerable or excluded as communities and economies recover and rebuild following COVID-19.
Investing in human capital as a key to long-term growth and development, guaranteeing equal access to immunizations, and solving investment gaps by mobilising private and public money to support energy, transportation, and social infrastructure are just a few examples.
Several major announcements, exchanges of ideas, and discussions on themes like as Egypt’s post-COVID-19 strategy to sustainability were made during the two-day Forum.
This included the country’s groundbreaking ODA-SDG model, which is being used to assess the real-world impact of 377 ongoing SDG-related projects totaling more than $25 billion. Elena Panova, the UN Resident Coordinator for Egypt, told the Forum that the groundbreaking programme is now ready to be emulated in other countries. Egypt has announced plans to bring high-speed internet to more than 60 million people in rural regions as part of a nationwide initiative to boost the digital economy and create jobs.
The Egypt-ICF conference heard how Africa’s shift to digital trade and dependence on technology to achieve food security are critical for a green and inclusive recovery.
Furthermore, the forum focused on climate change, with international policymakers, development partners, private sector, civil society, and think tank representatives discussing the potential of a global reset triggered by the coronavirus crisis for ‘greening’ global economies, as well as how sustainable development cannot be achieved without proper international cooperation.
Policymakers also highlighted how reducing non-tariff obstacles and ensuring a level playing field for investors will be necessary to harness the private sector’s growth and job creation potential.
Egypt – ICF, which took place on September 8-9, 2021, aimed to spark a global discussion about how the COVID-19 pandemic can serve as a catalyst for renewed action to achieve the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, a 17-point action plan aimed at ending poverty, protecting the environment, and improving people’s lives and prospects around the world.
