Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El Sisi said that nowadays, humanity is going through its most difficult test in years, citing ongoing challenges, topped by the global outbreak of Covid-19 and the impacts of climate change.
Giving a word at the first edition of Egypt Forum for International Co-operation “Egypt ICF”, President Sisi said these challenges impose a new reality that requires more innovative ideas in decision-making.
In his word at the first edition of Egypt Forum for International Co-operation “Egypt-ICF”, President Sisi welcomed the heads of regional and international organisations and UN officials
participating in the forum.
Sisi hoped that the forum would be fruitful and contribute to supporting the international community’s efforts to achieve sustainable development.
This new reality also requires much greater awareness of the potential risks and the development of a balanced approach based on joint action to achieve progress, green growth and sustainable development to meet the aspirations of the peoples of the world, President Sisi added.
He further noted that the “green recovery” is now a necessity for all world governments, taking into consideration the socio-economic conditions in the developed and developing countries that have been affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, a matter that hinders their ability to join the green recovery.
He stressed the necessity of backing the international community and international financial institutions to help achieve the desired goals of this ambitious agenda.
In his word at the forum, President Sisi said undoubtedly, governments will not be able to achieve the green recovery on their own.
He stressed the importance of the private sector’s role in taking steps towards securing a sustainable future through innovative mechanisms for mobilising resources and blended finance to enhance its participation in the various development fields.
He also underlined the importance of benefiting from technology and digital transformation to achieve the desired economic and social development for the whole world.
Sisi noted that Egypt was among the countries to develop a long-term strategic plan to achieve sustainable development by 2030, citing “Egypt Vision 2030” that was launched in 2016.
The Sustainable Development Strategy (SDS): Egypt Vision 2030 is in accordance with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Africa’s Agenda 2063 that aim at enhancing joint action and multilateral co-operation to support development efforts in different countries, Sisi said.
He also stressed the importance of achieving African integration through activating the executive mechanisms of the African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement (AfCFTA).
Egypt has come a long way to achieve development and face accumulated challenges and problems, President Sisi said.
In recent years, Egypt has managed to push forward development efforts in the various sectors through setting up major infrastructure projects, developing social protection programms and investing in human capital, Sisi added.
Egypt also took effective steps towards the transition to a green economy with the view to raising the quality of life of the Egyptian citizens, improving their standard of living and meeting their aspirations for a promising future, a matter that was praised by many international institutions’ reports, Sisi said.
Egypt welcomes close co-operation with international financial institutions, the United Nations and its affiliated agencies to enhance development efforts and provide the necessary expertise to our brothers in the Middle East and North Africa, President Sisi in his word at the forum.
Sisi concluded by hoping the forum will come up with recommendations that could shore up efforts to promote multilateral co-operation, capacity-building efforts and technical support through the United Nations to “fulfill the high aspirations of our peoples towards a better future.”
