The Ministry of International Co-operation co-hosted ‘Corporate Leadership Day’ Wednesday. This event was part of efforts to strengthen public-private partnerships and boost private sector involvement.
Representatives of leading brands in Egypt – DHL Express Egypt, Mars Wrigley, Orange Business Services, Orange Egypt and PepsiCo – attended the one-day event, which to celebrated women, featuring open-dialogue with International Co-operation Minister Rania el-Mashaat on inclusion, gender parity, agile governance and innovation in an ever-changing digital world.
More than 300 employees, nationwide, participated virtually in the presence of Ahmed Naguib, CEO of Egypt Orange Business Services, Dalia Salib, Managing Director Mars-Wrigley Egypt and Hesham Mahran, Vice President Orange Egypt.
“The year 2021 is the year of private sector engagement,” the minister said.
“Together with our multilateral and bilateral partners, we are investing in human capital by tapping into private sector knowledge and expertise to advance Egypt’s development,” the minister added.
“The public and private sectors in Egypt have quickly adapted to the new conditions created by the Covid-19 pandemic in exploiting digitisation and innovation in work routines,” el-Mashaat said.
“Egypt tapped into its digital potential while 60 per cent of the population is youth, representing a dynamic force that has nurtured creativity and adaptability as swift responses to the hybrid work business model,” el-Mashaat added.
“Resilience, agility and innovation are the keywords for surviving turbulence caused by global challenges. The main ingredients to foster a culture of innovation, people, processes and technology,” she said.
The minister went on to say that promoting gender parity through collective action and sustainable investment is critical to delivering on the commitment by the Egyptian governmen to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030.
“One of the positive impacts of the pandemic is that it has accelerated reforms, closing the gender gap and be better able to rebuild through inclusivity and diversity.
“As advocates of gender equality, private sector representation saw the importance of bringing women to the decision-making table, commending ministry efforts to push gender parity to the forefront of reform.
“In February 2021, the ministry and the National Council for Women (NCW) launched an action plan ‘Closing the Gender Gap Accelerator’ in collaboration with the private sector, and in partnership with the World Economic Forum (WEF).
“The 10-point plan includes tasks that ensure women’s equal representation in work, education and social spheres, such as empowering work regulations, leadership mentorship and protocols, educational re-skilling and preparation, digitisation of businesses, and social inclusion measures and policies.”
Ahmed Naguib, CEO of Egypt Orange Business Services said, “Diversity is the future, especially for a company that sells communication to the greatest number.” “Our customers are diverse, so it is unconscionable that our employees do not reflect this diversity,” Naguib added.
“Women’s economic empowerment is at the forefront of Egypt’s national agenda for its clear quantifiable impact on GDP and productivity.
“It is a catalyst to push the global goals forward. Some 34 projects, worth $3.3 billion, are being executed to achieve the targets of gender equality, with the top targeted sectors — health (20 percent) , micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMes) (15 per cent), and education (14 per cent).
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