EGYPT – United Nations (UN), under the Partnership Development Framework (UNPDF), has announced that it is expected to provide Egypt with around U$532 million to support four development sectors amid the COVID-19 crisis.

According to the announced finance, the UN will provide Egypt with around US$80 million for economic development, about US$346 million for social justice, US$58 million for environmental sustainability and US$48 million for women empowerment.

The announcement came during the periodic meeting of UNPDF’s steering committee between Egypt and the UN for 2018-2022. The meeting was held at the headquarters of the Ministry of International Cooperation to review progress and chart a new path for cooperation during 2020/2021.

The meeting was chaired by Minister of International Cooperation Rania Al-Mashat and the UN Resident Coordinator in Egypt, Richard Dictus, with the participation of more than 40 representatives from all UN agencies in Egypt, as well as representatives of the 16 Egyptian ministries and concerned bodies.

During the meeting, Minister Rania Al-Mashat stated that Egypt’s partnership with the UN remains indispensable, underscoring the value of cooperating with them in overcoming COVID-19 challenges, particularly in addressing health, women’s empowerment, and environmental sustainability.

Al-Mashat noted that the partnership development framework with the UN was designed according to national development priorities and was a successful outcome of coordination between the relevant ministries and government agencies, civil society organizations and the private sector.

For his part, UN’s Dictus stressed the UN commitment to support Egypt in building on the successes of the economic reform program.

Earlier in October, Al-Mashat held a high-level meeting with all UN agencies in Egypt aimed at opening a new chapter for cooperation amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Ministry of International Cooperation supervises the implementation of the UNPDF that focuses on four outcomes, including inclusive economic development, social justice, environmental sustainability and natural resource management as well as women’s empowerment, with an estimated budget of around US$1.2 billion since its signing in 2018. 

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