Dailynewsegypt

Tag: SDGs

  • Traditional tools are no longer sufficient to bridge financing gap for SDGs: Al-Mashat

    Traditional tools are no longer sufficient to bridge financing gap for SDGs: Al-Mashat

    Egypt’s Minister of International Cooperation Rania Al-Mashat stressed that the traditional tools of financing are no longer sufficient to meet the requirements of different countries, especially emerging countries and countries that are going through stages of economic transformation, to achieve the sustainable development goals (SDGs).

    This prompted the international community and financing institutions to mobilize international community efforts and work together to reach innovative financing tools that would enable it to move forward towards achieving comprehensive and sustainable development.

    Al-Mashat said that in light of the high financing gap for SDGs globally reaching $3.7trn, according to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, and the inability of current tools to meet the needs of various countries, it has become necessary for blended financing and innovative financing tools based on partnerships between relevant parties, to play a vital and important role in providing the necessary funds to bridge the financing gap for SDGs.

    Al-Mashat’s remarks came during the expanded session of talks with Jay Collins, Vice President of Citibank Group for Corporate and Investment Banking, on innovative mechanisms and tools for financing SDGs. The meeting was also attended by Mohamed Maait, Minister of Finance; Ahmed Kouchouk, Deputy The Minister of Finance; Ater Hanoura, Head of the Central Department of Public-Private Partnership; and a high-level attendance of multilateral and bilateral development partners.

    Representatives of the multilateral and bilateral development partners attended the meeting, namely Jonathan Cohen, US Ambassador in Cairo; Elena Panova, Resident Coordinator of the United Nations Office in Egypt; Heike Harmgart, Regional Director for the Southern and Eastern Mediterranean at EBRD; Ahmed Zayed, Executive Director for Egypt and Djibouti at the African Development Bank; and Ove Gillin, Senior Counsellor of the German Embassy in Cairo. Several representatives of the private sector also took part, including Sherif El-Gabaly, Head of the Exporters Division of the Federation of Egyptian Chambers of Commerce (FEDCOC), and Alaa Ezz, Secretary-General of FEDCOC.

    The Minister of International Cooperation pointed to the importance of this meeting in light of the ministry’s endeavour to consolidate relations between development partners on the one hand and the government and private sectors in Egypt on the other, to introduce the most important innovative financing tools, and how to enhance the participation of the private sector in development through these tools, especially in the context of the state’s endeavour to shift towards a green economy, and to enhance green finance that supports the implementation of environmentally friendly projects, in a way that enables the state to achieve a comprehensive and sustainable recovery from the repercussions of the Corona pandemic.

    For his part, Minister of Finance called for cooperation with international financial institutions and the government to transfer the necessary expertise to expand knowledge of the latest green financing mechanisms, to stimulate investment in green projects, as well as build the capacities of state workers to develop their skills in order to absorb these innovative mechanisms and enhance benefit.

    The Minister of Finance reviewed the Egyptian experience in issuing the first green bonds in the region to finance environmentally friendly projects, stressing the role that international institutions must play in facilitating the state’s demand for these tools to finance development and provide the technical and technical support necessary to advance efforts aimed at achieving sustainable development.

  • ‘Citizen Plan’ will localise SDGs across governorates: Planning Minister

    ‘Citizen Plan’ will localise SDGs across governorates: Planning Minister

    Egypt’s Ministry of Planning and Economic Development has, for the second consecutive year, launched the “Citizen Plan” for fiscal year (FY) 2020/21.

    The plan covers all of Egypt’s governorates, and aims to activate community participation and involve citizens in planning and follow-up.

    Minister of Planning and Economic Development Hala El-Said said that Egypt’s Vision 2030 aims primarily to improve the quality of life and standard of living among Egyptian citizens. She added that the sustainable development plan for FY 2020/21 is based on public investment in infrastructure, and social and economic projects.

    El-Said also said that this ensures that the return on investment reaches all citizens across Egypt, including youth, women, and people with special capabilities. The minister added that low-income people will be the first to reap the fruits of this investment.

    This ensures that the plan will provide decent and sustainable job opportunities, embodying the true meaning of social development, along with improving the competitiveness of the Egyptian economy, and enhancing the country’s leadership.

    She said that the launch of the “Citizen Plan” comes within the framework of the continuous keenness to link the planning process with Egypt’s Vision 2030, the localization of sustainable development goals, and a continuation of the participatory approach adopted by the ministry with all development partners.

    El-Said explained that the “Citizen Plan” is based on evidence-based planning, making use of databases and performance measurement indicators in all developmental areas across Egypt’s 27 governorates. This will take place in a way that ensures bridging the development gaps between them.

    For his part, Dr Gamil Helmy, Assistant Minister of Planning and Economic Development to follow up on the implementation of the sustainable development plan said that the “Citizen Plan” is a document directed primarily towards citizens. It will be implemented in a way that ensures their participation in the planning and follow-up processes.

    Helmy said that the document includes a detailed presentation of all development indicators and projects being implemented in each governorate separately. He also said that this would enable the citizens to follow up on the implementation of these projects, whether they are being implemented in his governorate, city or village.

    Helmy added that the plan also includes the most prominent features, at the national level, of the sustainable development plan for FY 2020/21. This includes the most important economic indicators for each governorate represented in gross domestic product (GDP), the real growth rate, the unemployment rate, and the number of workers.

    He said that the most important sectors in each governorate are selected in terms of the value of investments directed to them in the FY 2020/21 investment plan. He also said that performance indicators reflect the current situation in the selected sectors, and the most prominent investment projects being implemented in them.

  • Sustainable Development Ambassadors initiative to raise youth awareness on SDGs: El-Said

    Sustainable Development Ambassadors initiative to raise youth awareness on SDGs: El-Said

    Egypt’s Minister of Planning and Economic Development Hala El-Said said that the country’s development experience over the last six years has gotten through many political, economic and social changes and challenges.

    There have also been growing regional challenges, against which Egypt has set a serious plan to overcome them and achieve comprehensive development. In this context, Egypt’s Vision 2030 has come to represent the version of the national goals to achieve sustainable development.

    El-Said’s remarks were delivered on her behalf by Dr Ahmed Kamali, Deputy Minister of Planning, during a speech delivered as part of the “Sustainability Day” celebrations. The events were held on Tuesday by the Ministry of Planning and Economic Development.

    They come as part of the strategy localising the UN’s sustainable development goals (SDGs) and achieving Egypt’s Vision 2030, which coincides with the UN’s 75th anniversary celebrations.

    During the speech, El-Said said that Egypt was keen to ensure that this vision is consistent with the three international development dimensions, namely: the economic dimension; the social dimension; and the environmental dimension. This vision also represents the general framework for organising the interim work plans and programmes during the coming years.

    The minister also said that the Egyptian state should be preparing, formulating, and implementing this vision through a comprehensive community partnership. In addition to the government, this includes the private sector, civil society, and all development partners, with special attention given to encouraging the participation of both youth and women.

    El-Said added that the “Sustainability Day” celebration is a reflection of the Egyptian state’s priorities, with attention particularly on several issues imposed by the priorities. These include a localisation of the SDGs to achieve inclusive and sustainable growth and balanced regional development, as one of the main pillars of the vision Egypt 2030.

    “The Ministry of Planning and Economic Development is working on several implementation projects to achieve this, in cooperation with development partners, by setting quantitative targets for each of the indicators of the SDGs at the national level and the governorate level,” El-Said said, “This will maximise the benefits across Egypt, and ensure direct investments as part of the state’s general plan are more efficient and effective, with a focus on governorates with development gaps.”

    The minister also said that Egypt is seeking to create innovative mechanisms to finance the SDGs, most notably through: offering green bonds; maximising the benefit of Egypt’s sovereign fund and its sub-funds; and creating mechanisms to reduce debt burdens.

    She noted that, during the current period, the Egyptian government attaches utmost importance to spreading the culture of “sustainable development”. This includes expanding on the integration of its economic, social, and environmental dimensions in the planning system. This aims to create an integrated planning system to transform the Egyptian economy into a green one.

    El-Said referred to the launch of the Sustainable Development Ambassadors initiative, which aims to raise youth awareness of the SDGs and translate them into practice.

    There has also recently been a new phase of fruitful cooperation launched between the Ministries of Planning and Economic Development, and the Environment, which has seen the setting up of the “guide to environmental sustainability standards in the sustainable development plan”.

    This ensures that environmental sustainability is achieved in investment projects financed by the state budget. It focuses particularly on: expanding the production of new and renewable energy; expanding patterns of sustainable production; integrated waste management of all kinds; and strengthening the role of scientific research in the fields of sustainability.

    During the speech, the tangible progress and many achievements in Egypt’s economic indicators were reviewed. These have most notably been in: reducing unemployment rates; improving the quality of infrastructure; energy availability; and increasing the private sector’s contribution to the gross domestic product.

    El-Said said that the Egyptian government undertook economic measures to confront the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis, in coordination and solidarity between the various state agencies.

    These measures varied between financial and monetary policies to stimulate demand, including lowering the interest rate and providing loan guarantees to banks, as well as providing support, liquidity and credit, to alleviate the burdens on the affected sectors.

    El-Said pointed to the great role of interventions in preserving the Egyptian economy in terms of its capabilities and gains. She said that indicators expect Egypt’s growth rate in fiscal year (FY) 2019/20 to reach 3.5%, remaining among the best growth rates in the world. Without government intervention, particularly during the global health crisis, it would have been expected to reach a growth rate of 1.9%.

    The minister said that the Egyptian Government is looking to benefit from the promising sectors that are in line with the state’s development priorities. Taking into account the repercussions of the coronavirus pandemic, these sectors include health, education, agriculture, manufacturing, communications, information technology (IT), and digital transformation. She continued that the state is working to complete the second phase of the national programme for economic and social reform.

  • Smart cities have become inevitable, only 10 years left to achieve SDGs

    Smart cities have become inevitable, only 10 years left to achieve SDGs

    With only 10 years left to achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), increased region-wide efforts to address these pressing challenges have been prioritised, said Matthew Tribe, Executive Director at CallisonRTKL, a global architecture, planning, and design  consultancy of Arcadis.

    Tribe added that through collaborations between the public and private sectors, countries in the region have already embedded the SDGs into their policy planning and put in place the necessary building blocks that address sustainability challenges effectively.

    Initiatives put in place by governmental bodies in the region strive to ensure sustainable development while preserving the environment, namely focusing on improving quality of air, increasing contribution of clean energy, and preserving natural resources, while fostering real economic growth and social development, he noted.

    He further pointed out that the creation of smart cities will be further deployed and developed in the region over the next decade, with a steady flow already underway.

    “For example, in cooperation with the United Nations Human Settlements Program (UN-Habitat), CRTKL has recently completed a strategic master plan for Ras El Hekma, a 200 sq km region along Egypt’s Mediterranean coast. Based on the UN SDGs, Ras El Hekma is planned to foster economic development via creating opportunities for eco-sensitive tourism, while at the same time investing in the development of existing indigenous communities and resources. While conserving the existing natural amenities and resources, the master plan creates an attractive destination for up to fifty hotels projected to attract up to three million tourists annually,” Tribe said.

    “At the same time, new communities are planned to be homes for about 100,000 residents, while also investing in the improvement of existing settlements. Driven by smart technology and development of renewable energy resources, CRTKL’s plan for Ras El Hekma will address fundamental standard of living problems that are urban communities face in the region. We hope that this project, which adheres to the principles of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals , can be a model for similar initiatives coming up around our developing world,” he concluded.

  • Construction and architecture should meet SDGs, and people needs: El Hindi

    Construction and architecture should meet SDGs, and people needs: El Hindi

    Walid El Hindi, CEO of Imkan Properties explained that it is necessary to change the concept of construction and architecture to meet the real needs of people and be in line with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

    During Arab Sustainable Development Week on Monday, El Hindi stressed the importance of avoiding repeat architectural models that do not fit the current era and its resources. 

    He explained that modern man does not need large congested buildings as much as he needs comfort and attention to spaces between buildings and provided services.

    El Hindi noted, “It is important to understand the changes that are taking place in the world so that we can give citizens in every country what they need.”

    He further highlighted that real estate affects sustainable development because it is linked to all development goals of health, education, tourism and others.

    Construction defines the parameters and objectives of sustainable development indirectly because it outlines features of the new phase and the needs of human beings in the next period, he disclosed.

    “The identity of the place is reflected in the architecture, which is evident, for example, in the way the buildings are designed to suit the identity,” he said. “There are many models of the evolution of architecture to suit the developments of the times. Currently, schools have different requirements in construction and design away from traditional buildings, which also applies to the health sector and hospitals that have requirements that suit modern developments and people’s needs.”

  • Egypt Vision 2030 consistent with SDGs: Planning Minister

    Egypt Vision 2030 consistent with SDGs: Planning Minister

    Minister of Planning and Administrative Reform Hala Al Saeed said, “Egypt has achieved progress in achieving the goals of sustainable development, namely Egypt Vision 2030 that have been launched in 2016 consistent with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Africa Agenda 2063.”

    She explained that additionally, the Egyptian government launched a programme of work 2018-2021, which aims to achieve and implement strategic projects and identify priority.

    Moreover, the Minister highlighted the establishment of an integrated online system to link investment projects with the SDGs.

    On the economic front, Egypt has achieved lots of progress, Al Saeed pointed out, citing the increasing GDP growth rate recording 5.6% in FY 2018/19, marking a 10-year high, in addition to the decline in the unemployment rate to 7.5% in FY 2018/2019.

    Furthermore, she noted that Egypt targets to boost the renewable energy share of the energy mix to 20% by 2022 and 37% in 2035. “Thus, we are building renewable energy projects, such as the Benban Solar Park, which is the largest solar power generation project in the world, besides, the establishment of 32 power plants, which contributed to the generation of 2 GW.

    “Egypt has managed to handle economic reform programme in just three years since the flotation of the Egyptian pound in November 2016, which is short in the life of development,” she said, adding that “The decisions of floating and rationalising energy subsidies were necessary for social protection and local industry.”

    Concerning the rationalisation of fuel subsidies, she noted: “it was necessary because 70% of the subsidies were directed to about 40% of the highest income people, and the neediest, didn’t receive their benefits.”

    Moreover, the government’s efforts with regard to the social protection programme aims to redistribute state budget surplus to support the poor and marginalised people and the expansion of social protection networks, the Minister added, explaining that Takaful and Karama programme covers 3.8 million citizens, in addition to Haya Karima (Decent Life) programme that covers 16 governorates.

    Mohamed Sultan Chief Operating Officer at Commercial International Bank (CIB), highlighted the Bank’s leading role as Egypt’s largest private sector bank and its commitment to guide banking institutions around the world to integrate sustainability practices into all of its operations.

    Sultan added that the banking sector is committed to driving change and urging institutions to promote sustainability practices, with a focus on economic development that takes into account the dimensions of social responsibility to contribute to sustainable development.

    He further pointed out CIB considers sustainable development as an essential aspect of sound business management, and they are convinced that the human element is the most important asset to focus on and invest in.

  • UNWTO, EBRD sign MoU to promote inclusive tourism, achieve SDGs

    UNWTO, EBRD sign MoU to promote inclusive tourism, achieve SDGs

    European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) President Suma Chakrabarti and the UN World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Friday at the UNWTO Headquarters in Madrid.

    Under the MoU, the two institutions pledge to work together in promoting and fostering tourism for the achievement of the 2030 Agenda and the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

    The MoU is also aligned with the new property and tourism strategy the EBRD published on Thursday.

    In particular, the EBRD and UNWTO are looking for ways to strengthen the role of the tourism sector for social, economic, and environmental development for regional integration and economic diversification.

    “Fostering education and training in tourism for job creation and socioeconomic inclusion, by adopting the best practices to increase and improve skill sets in the sector, is a key priority for both the EBRD and UNWTO,” according to the UNWTO`s press statement.

    The two institutions will also look to strengthen tourism governance and institutions, promote policy dialogue at the national and regional level on matters of common concern, facilitate investments and advocate for the increase of official development aid flows to the tourism sector, including through UNWTO.

    “Tourism has become a central part of the global sustainable development agenda. Strengthening our partnership with the EBRD will help us drive the sector forward, deliver change in the tourism climate and digital economy, and help guide the growth of tourism in a responsible and inclusive manner for the benefit of all,” said Pololikashvili.

    Chakrabarti said: “Travel and tourism represent a vitally important and fast-growing sector of the global economy, and can benefit poorer, more remote regions, opening up job opportunities, promoting economic inclusion for all and facilitating the transfer of valuable skills. These are all objectives central to the EBRD’s mission.”

    Notably, the EBRD and UNWTO are longstanding partners. In 2015, the two institutions signed an agreement in the framework of the EBRD’s commitment for supporting inclusive and sustainable tourism in the economies where the bank invests, particularly in the southern and eastern Mediterranean region and the Western Balkans.

  • Community dialogue seeking to amend Egypt’s SDGs strategy begins on Tuesday

    Community dialogue seeking to amend Egypt’s SDGs strategy begins on Tuesday

    The ministry of planning, monitoring, and administrative reforms will begin a community dialogue on Tuesday to amend Egypt’s sustainable development goals (SDGs) strategy, in order to cope with the regional and international updates, the Minister Hala El- Saeed said.

    “We have announced our SDGs strategy in 2016, and since then there are many updates,” she added during the conference that was organised by the Institute of National Planning (INP), on Saturday, entitled “Promoting Sustainable Agriculture”.

    Adapting new measures for the sustainable agriculture became very critical especially that agriculture seizes 70% of the water resources, the minister said, adding that the food needs are remarkably increasing, and food security efforts should be boosted. 

    Egypt’s agriculture sector contribute with 6.3% of the GDP over the third quarter of the fiscal year (FY) 2018/19, in comparison with 5.7% over the same period of last FY 2017/18, the minister mentioned, affirming the governmental efforts in supporting the rural development and boosting the farmers’ standards of living.

    The ministry pays great attention to supporting the agricultural small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) which creates new job opportunities, the minister noted, pointing out that the Central Bank of Egypt announced a low interest rate loans for the SMEs.

    The public investments increased over the past four years, she affirmed, explaining that the first half of the FY 2018/19 witnessed implementation of about 1,133 projects in 20 different sectors including seven projects in the agriculture sector, and 96 projects in the water resources sector.

    For his part, Egypt’s Minister of Irrigation and Water Resources, Mohamed Abdel Aty, said that the country suffers from 90% water deficit, affirming the governmental efforts to face this challenge.

    “We exert major efforts to create new resources of water, most of the megaprojects depend on desalination,” he noted, adding that the ministry announced campaigns to raise awareness regarding the importance of water.

  • Government amendments for investment climate serve SDGs

    Government amendments for investment climate serve SDGs

    The government put forward major reforms measure that have been discussed for decades, said the Minister of Investment and International Cooperation Sahar Nasr, over her speech at the third annual MENA investor conference, organised by CI Capital on Sunday, adding that the government improvements of investment climate serve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Vision 2030.

    “We have been working on improving the business environment over key measures including legislative reforms to address the challenges that hinder improving investments,” indicated Nasr.

    The government believes in the role of the private sector in contributing to the overall economic development, noted Nasr, adding that the private sector represents 70% of the provided jobs in Egypt.

    All incentives and guarantees have been put in place in the New Investment Law, which leads to attracting investors to Egypt, stressed the minister, affirming that Egypt respects all the agreements signed with the private sector.

    “we provided incentives for sectors that contribute to creating job opportunities for youth and women,” clarified the minister, noting that Egypt is working to increase infrastructure investment due to its role in attracting more investments, creating short-term employment, and long-term growth through large projects such as the Suez Canal Economic Zone, and the New Administrative Capital.