Egypt propels a global collaboration on post-COVID sustainable development

Egypt has propelled a global collaboration on post-COVID sustainable development. Egypt’s Minister of International Cooperation urged governments throughout the world to collaborate more on sustainable development initiatives to ensure that the post-pandemic world not only recovers, but also follows the UN’s roadmap for achieving sustainability and prosperity for all.

Launching the first edition of the Egypt International Cooperation Forum (Egypt – ICF), which takes place in Cairo on September 8 and 9, H.E. Dr Rania A. Al-Mashat, Egypt’s Minister of International Cooperation, said, “The COVID-19 pandemic has emphasized that no country can remain in isolation, as global problems require global solutions.”

“The pandemic not only posed a health crisis to the world but also socioeconomic challenges,” said Al-Mashat, elaborating that for a global recovery, multilateral and bilateral cooperation is needed to achieve sustainable development and the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

“While there is less than a decade left for the 2030 UN SDGs, it is necessary to evaluate what has been achieved so far to recover from the challenges of the pandemic and to build back better,” she added.

According to Al-Mashat, the Egypt-ICF is designed to bring together the global community, including national, regional, and international policymakers, international financial institutions (IFIs), development partners, and representatives from the private sector, civil society, and think tanks, to promote multilateralism and coordinate joint efforts for an inclusive and green recovery through sustainable finance.

The Minister went on to say that, in light of the global threats posed by climate change and its effects on people and the environment, the Egypt-ICF focuses on the opportunities and challenges that emerging nations face in realising their full economic potential.

 “It would not have been possible for all of these stakeholders to gather today, whether physically or virtually, if they did not have the genuine conviction that the world, despite all the differences, is one coherent sphere that shares the same goal, that is, overcoming the pandemic and moving towards green development and recovery,” she said.

Joining the event virtually, Amina J. Mohammed, Deputy Secretary-General of the UN and Chair of the United Nations Sustainable Development Group, said: “The SDGs are our best hope to emerge from the pandemic and accelerate the transition to an equitable and sustainable, resilient future. Strong, effective international cooperation and multilateralism are key to accelerate progress towards the global goals.”

Drawing on the example of effective international cooperation in the development of COVID-19 vaccines, she added that: “Achieving the SDGs will require transferring and sharing knowledge and experience between countries. The Egypt-ICF represents an important platform to explore the potential of all development stakeholders in sharing catalytic solutions.”

Meanwhile, Jutta Urpilainen, Commissioner for International Partnerships at the European Commission, told the Forum: “The COVID-19 pandemic has claimed almost 4.5 million lives around the globe. It has, like an X-ray, exposed our strengths and weaknesses, from social and economic inequality to the environmental and biodiversity crisis.”

“Such global shocks must be tackled at a global level. Today, we have a chance to reinvent ourselves and build back better. The EU remains convinced that the most promising avenue to do so is through close cooperation with the UN at its core.”

Describing how development cooperation will be essential in getting the world back on track to achieving the UN’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, Jeffrey Schlagenhauf, Deputy Secretary-General of the OECD, said: “This crisis has shown us that no matter how solid policies are, they will not deliver on their promises if they are implemented in isolation.

“While our multilateral system has been tested by the health crisis, today’s conference and the participation of so many leaders in the region is testimony to our collective faith in the power of international cooperation to respond to new realities.”

He added: “More sources of financing for development need to be mobilized, including from the private sector and through innovative approaches such as blended finance. We need to recognize that each country can find its own path for sustainable development. This is not a one-size-fits-all approach.” 

Delegates from national, regional, and international policymakers, private sector stakeholders, development leaders, civil society organisations, and think tanks will take part in high-level panel discussions, specialised workshops, capacity-building sessions, and development cooperation project visits over the next two days.