H.E. Dr. Rania A. Al-Mashat, Minister of Planning, Economic Development, and International Cooperation, participated in the closing ceremony of the joint project between the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the World Health Organization (WHO) titled "Supporting the Urgent Needs of Egypt’s COVID-19 Response Activities – Bridging Towards One Health" project. The event was attended by Dr. Khaled Abdel Ghaffar, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Health and Population; Mr. Sean Jones, USAID Mission Director in Egypt; and Dr. Nima Saeed, WHO Representative in Egypt.

In her speech, H.E. Dr. Rania A. Al-Mashat highlighted the significance of the program, which aimed to expedite the equitable distribution and access to safe COVID-19 vaccines, and to reduce the rates of infection and mortality resulting from the pandemic. H.E. Dr. Al-Mashat explained that Egypt, like all countries worldwide, faced unprecedented and multifaceted challenges at the onset of the pandemic, impacting national health systems and other public services.

H.E. Minister Al-Mashat elaborated that the Egyptian government implemented numerous rapid measures through the National Response and Recovery Program to curb the spread of the pandemic and worked diligently to ensure the safety and well-being of all. 

H.E. Dr. Al-Mashat noted that these efforts were complemented by the development of long-term, sustainable solutions that extend beyond immediate crisis response to enhance our resilience against future public health threats. The Minister emphasized that multilateral partnerships were crucial in overcoming the pandemic and rebuilding economic stability, with the integration of diverse expertise and comparative advantages of development partners across various sectors contributing to high-quality and impactful outcomes.

The Minister of Planning, Economic Development, and International Cooperation affirmed that human capital is a fundamental pillar of development. H.E. Dr. Al-Mashat underscored the Egyptian government's commitment to addressing related challenges within development strategies, highlighting that the strategic framework for the partnership between Egypt and the United Nations for Sustainable Development 2023-2027 includes a key focus on enhancing human capital by 2027 through equitable access to quality services, social protection, and guaranteed social justice for all.

H.E. Minister Al-Mashat stated that the project "Supporting the Urgent Needs of Egypt’s COVID-19 Response Activities – Bridging Towards One Health" has played a crucial role over the past two years in strengthening Egypt's health infrastructure and better preparing it to manage any future public health challenges.

H.E. Dr. Al-Mashat further noted that among the achievements of this program were the prevention and control of infections across all healthcare facilities in the country, ensuring that healthcare workers are well-equipped to protect themselves and their patients. Additionally, the program has supported case management and capacity building through the provision of vital training for healthcare professionals, particularly in managing infectious diseases such as respiratory infections and bloodstream infections.

The Minister of Planning and International Cooperation emphasized that the successful implementation of the program was the result of collaborative efforts from numerous teams and organizations. In closing her remarks, H.E. Dr. Al-Mashat reaffirmed Egypt’s commitment to further advancing the One Health approach and ensuring the resilience and readiness of health systems to respond to any future pandemics, noting that this project has played a key role in laying a sustainable foundation for the future of public health in Egypt.