Dr. Al-Mashat: Egypt is committed to providing full support for the success of the Arab Week for Sustainable Development.

Geopolitical challenges in Arab countries hinder the region’s development path and that of the world.

Accelerating development requires a restructuring of the global financial system and expanding concessional financing.

Effective partnerships between the public and private sectors, as well as civil society, are necessary to meet the growing financing needs.

Achieving integration between national efforts and international partnerships is essential to advancing the development process and exchanging experiences with emerging countries.

Today, H.E. Dr. Rania Al-Mashat, Minister of Planning, Economic Development, and International Cooperation, inaugurated the 5th Arab Sustainable Development Week, under the theme “Sustainable Solutions for the Future: embracing resilience, adaptability, and progress in the ever-evolving Arab world”, held at the headquarters of the League of Arab States in Cairo. The event was attended by Mr. Ahmed Aboul Gheit, Secretary-General of the Arab League; Dr. Ashraf Sobhi, Minister of Youth and Sports; Dr. Manal Awad, Minister of Local Development; Counselor Adnan Fanjari, Minister of Justice; Ms. Elena Panova, UN Resident Coordinator in Egypt; Mr. Stephane Guimbert, Country Director for Egypt, Yemen, and Djibouti at the World Bank; Mr. Youssef Hassan Khalawi, Secretary-General of the Al Baraka Forum for Islamic Economy; and a number of ministers, ambassadors, parliamentary representatives, and officials from local, regional, and international organizations.

In H.E.’s opening speech, Dr. Rania Al-Mashat stated that the Arab Sustainable Development Week has become a prominent regional platform for constructive dialogue among representatives from governments, the private sector, civil society, and various sectors including women, youth, media, universities, research centers, and Arab and international organizations. All participants strive to enhance cooperation to achieve sustainable development. This year’s event marks its fifth edition, following the tangible successes of previous editions.

H.E. Minister Al-Mashat emphasized that Egypt has been committed to hosting and organizing this event over the years, through fruitful collaboration and extended developmental partnerships with the League of Arab States and numerous international development partners. 

H.E. Dr. Al-Mashat noted that the Arab Sustainable Development Week is taking place amidst ongoing and rapidly evolving economic, financial, and geopolitical challenges. These include the tragic humanitarian situation in Gaza and Lebanon, which impose additional burdens on the global community, particularly on Arab nations, and negatively impact governments' efforts to achieve sustainable development. The 2024 SDGs Report indicated that only 17% of the targets for the SDGs have made sufficient progress to reach their goals by 2030.

H.E. Dr. Al-Mashat also pointed out that with global growth rates continuing to slow and developmental disparities between nations growing, there is also an increasing gap in development financing, particularly in developing countries, which is exacerbated by successive crises. Immediate action is required to address the debt crisis facing these nations, and to restructure the global financial system to enhance the ability of countries to secure concessional financing, which helps bridge development gaps. This must be coupled with active partnerships between governments, the private sector, civil society, and financial institutions to meet the rising financing needs.

H.E. Dr. Al-Mashat highlighted that according to international reports, global government spending on essential services, including health and social protection, is expected to reach approximately 50% in 2024. In emerging and developing countries, this figure drops to 40%. The financing gap for achieving the SDGs globally ranges from $2.5 trillion to $4 trillion annually. The Arab region alone is estimated to require at least $230 billion annually to close its financing gap towards achieving the SDGs.

In addition to the challenge of financing development, H.E. Dr. Al-Mashat mentioned other critical economic and social challenges faced by Arab countries, including high unemployment rates, which have reached approximately 9.5% according to the 2024 SDG Report. This is the highest rate among world regions, despite a decrease since the COVID-19 crisis. The Arab region also continues to have the highest youth unemployment rates, particularly among women.

H.E. Minister Al-Mashat also reviewed the environmental challenges related to climate change, whose negative impacts affect all countries and regions, with the Arab region being particularly vulnerable. The region has long suffered from harsh climate conditions, including drought, low rainfall, and extreme temperatures. These challenges adversely affect key economic sectors such as agriculture, water resources, energy, infrastructure, trade, and supply chains, as well as sectors like public health, food security, education, and employment opportunities. Together, these economic and social consequences prevent the people of developing nations from benefiting from development efforts and place additional pressure on the economies and resources of these countries.

H.E. Dr. Al-Mashat noted that while digital transformation offers significant opportunities to promote sustainable development, a clear digital divide persists between high- and low-income countries, hindering access to modern technologies such as artificial intelligence. The 2024 Global Innovation Report indicates that broadband internet subscription in the Arab region stands at 11 per 100 people, below the global average of 19 per 100.

H.E. Minister Al-Mashat reaffirmed Egypt’s commitment to achieving the SDGs, noting that the country has already made significant strides in reforms and efforts over the past decade, aimed at achieving comprehensive and sustainable development. These efforts include the launch of Egypt’s "Vision 2030," updated in November 2023, which represents the national version of the SDGs and the African Agenda 2063. Egypt is also focused on implementing a national economic and structural reform program, emphasizing three key areas: enhancing macroeconomic stability, increasing competitiveness and improving the business environment to stimulate the private sector, and transitioning to a green economy, which will increase the production capacity of the Egyptian economy and strengthen its resilience in the face of crises.

Furthermore, Egypt continues to implement major national initiatives and large-scale projects, mobilizing the resources and financing needed to support them. One of the key projects is the Presidential Initiative "Hayah Karima," which aims to transform rural villages into sustainable rural communities, addressing all developmental needs and contributing to the localization of SDGs and promoting balanced regional development.

H.E. Dr. Al-Mashat pointed out that the Ministry of Planning, Economic Development, and International Cooperation is working through the "Sustainability and Financing for Economic Development" framework to enhance efforts in formulating evidence-based development policies. This framework ensures monitoring and evaluation mechanisms to track progress and improve outcomes, while also mobilizing local and international financing to support sustainable development through a comprehensive national financing framework that prioritizes resources for key sectors and encourages private sector investment.

H.E. Minister Al-Mashat concluded by emphasizing Egypt’s active participation in regional, Arab, and international development initiatives. Egypt has presented three Voluntary National Reviews (VNRs) on the SDGs (for 2016, 2018, and 2021), and three Egyptian governorates (Beheira, Fayoum, and Port Said) also submitted local voluntary reviews in 2023, with technical support from the Ministry of Planning and the UNDP. Egypt is proud of its fruitful development cooperation with the Arab League, particularly through the launch of the "Financing for Sustainable Development" report during the fourth Arab Week for Sustainable Development in 2022.

In line with the recommendations in the report, Egypt, in close partnership with the UN, has developed the "Integrated National Strategy for Financing Development," which aligns public and private financing sources with the SDGs and Egypt's Vision 2030. This strategy aims to leverage private sector investments, improve public spending, and direct resources toward initiatives with the highest social, economic, and environmental returns, accelerating progress towards sustainable development.

H.E. Dr. Al-Mashat also highlighted Egypt’s comprehensive national strategy on climate change, which includes priority projects up to 2030. As part of this strategy, Egypt launched the "NWFE" country platform, which offers a comprehensive approach to fair climate financing, focusing on three main sectors: energy, food, and water. This is aimed at maximizing social, economic, and environmental impacts. Egypt is also advancing its green economy transition through initiatives such as integrating environmental sustainability standards in planning, and the National Initiative for Smart Green Projects.