Dr. Rania Al-Mashat, Minister of International Cooperation, and Ms. Elena Panova, United Nations Resident Coordinator in Egypt, signed on 9/5/2023, the Strategic Framework for the Partnership between Egypt and the United Nations for Cooperation for Sustainable Development (UNSDCF 2023-2027 ), along with representatives of UN agencies and programs concerned with the implementation of the Framework in Egypt .

What is the strategic framework for the partnership between Egypt and the UN?

The United Nations Framework for Cooperation for Sustainable Development is the tool for planning and implementing cooperation programs between the Arab Republic of Egypt and the United Nations system in Egypt during the period from 2023 to 2027, and is the most strategic and important tool for planning and implementing United Nations development activities in Egypt by supporting the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, in line with Egypt's Vision 2030 and national sectoral strategies, and the cooperation framework for Egypt's sustainable development strategy Egypt Vision 2030, and priorities  reflected in the framework of key policies and initiatives, as well as international conventions related to human rights.

Over the course of almost two years, more than 40 national partners from ministries, stakeholders and specialized bodies, as well as 28 UN partners from United Nations agencies and programmes, in addition to representatives of the private sector, multilateral and bilateral development partners, civil society, trade unions, trade unions, academic institutions and the private sector participated.  .

During the preparation period of the new framework, a joint country analysis of the status of the Egyptian economy and national priorities was carried out, and the analysis included more than 100 national, regional and international documents, action plans and strategies in order to reach accurate results that reflect the needs of the current stage, and the priorities of the Egyptian economy, and in light of the strategic framework of the partnership, it is expected that by 2027 progress will be made in achieving national development goals compatible with the sustainable development goals through four strategic priorities:

First: Providing high-quality services for all, achieving social peace and improving human capital that focuses on youth and children.  

Second: An inclusive, competitive, diversified, environmentally sustainable and knowledge-based economy.

Third: Sustainable management of natural resources to achieve food security and adaptability to climate change .

Fourth: Transparency, good governance and the rule of law. Leveraging the capacity of the UN system to bring together various stakeholders and advise in the formulation of development policy programmes, promote international best practices, and advocate for leaving no one behind, the government and the UN are set to address key challenges and risks to accelerate the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.

Some of the results that contribute to achieving strategic priorities :

Output I: By 2027, strengthen human capital through equal access to quality services and ensure universal protection and social justice .

Second output: By 2027, promote environmentally sustainable, inclusive and people-centred economic development, driven by industrialization and productivity growth, decent jobs, digitization and integration of the informal economy .

Output III: By 2027, strengthen climate resilience and efficient natural resource management for all in a sustainable environment .

Fourth output: By 2027, improve people's access to safe and equal opportunities to: access to information, protection and justice, within a peaceful and inclusive society in accordance with a transparent, efficient, effective, participatory and accountable governance framework based on the rule of law and international norms and standards .

Fifth Outcome: By 2027, promote women's and girls' access to their rights – as enshrined in the Egyptian Constitution – as well as social, health and livelihood rights and ensure their empowerment and leadership positions in a society free from all forms of discrimination and violence against women and girls .

The implementation of the framework is set to be carried out through a comprehensive approach, so the government in cooperation with the United Nations will rely on strategic partnerships with a wide range of relevant parties at all levels guided by the seventeenth goal of the Sustainable Development Goals, where there will be close coordination with the Ministry of International Cooperation, relevant ministries, national bodies and institutions such as the National Council for Women, the National Council for Human Rights, and the National Training Academy.  and other relevant government partners as the United Nations and the Government of Egypt continue their cooperation with the private sector, multilateral and bilateral development partners and international financial institutions to benefit from technical and financial resources and opportunities to achieve the results of the Cooperation Framework .

Egypt's Vision 2030 is implemented through the government's action program "Egypt Takes Off", and the five priorities of the government action program 2023-2027 are consistent with the cooperation framework for sustainable development, and the government action program aims to improve the standard of living of the Egyptian citizen by improving infrastructure, enhancing productivity and employment, achieving economic development and raising the efficiency of government performance, developing and investing in human capital, and protecting natural resources for security and sustainability.

Consistency of the objectives of the "Decent Life" initiative with  the results of the strategic framework for partnership between Egypt and the United Nations

The Egyptian government's pioneering initiative 'Decent Life', which targets around 5,000 villages representing about 50% of the population, is expected to make significant progress towards achieving a wide range of SDGs in those villages by addressing some of the key areas of urban-rural inequality. The objectives of the presidential initiative "Decent Life" are consistent with the results of cooperation with the United Nations.

The new cooperation framework also reinforces the structural reform program launched by the government, the National Strategy for Human Rights, the National Project for the Development of the Egyptian Family, and the National Strategy for Climate Change, with the aim of stimulating the Sustainable Development Goals 2030.