Egypt has committed to end poverty and hunger by 2027. At the 2023 SDG Summit, Egypt laid out bold, concrete commitments to accelerate its progress towards the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
The SDG Summit, convened by the President of the UN General Assembly at the UN Headquarters in New York in September, offered countries a platform to showcase and accelerate their efforts for a sustainable future.
Central to Egypt's commitment is the “Decent Life Initiative.” This comprehensive plan addresses all 17 SDGs, emphasizing the importance of a holistic approach to human development.
Speaking at the Summit, Egyptian Minister for Foreign Affairs Sameh Hassan Shoukry Selim emphasised the need for an urgent global commitment to the SDGs.
“This commitment gains even more importance, given the cascading crises that have obstructed our track toward growth,” he said during a session titled Leaders' Dialogue 1: "Scaling up actions on key transitions to accelerate SDG progress.”
Mr. Shoukry highlighted a series of concrete commitments, emphasising Egypt’s dedication to its landmark development plan - “Vision 2030.”
“Egypt is currently working on human development, especially by focusing on education, health, and women participation in the labour market, as well as private sector participation in order to put an end to hunger by 2027 and to put an end to poverty in 2027,” he stressed.
In the lead-up to the SDG Summit, Egypt’s Ministry of Planning and Economic Development, in collaboration with the UN, convened a national consultation in Cairo on 11 September.
The event brought together 80 representatives from across government, media, academia, and civil society, underscoring the country's dedication to collaborative and inclusive decision-making.
“Egypt’s new national commitments and engagement in the SDG Summit are examples of this commitment in action. Today’s national consultation with representatives from across Egyptian society is an important step in building a consensus on what needs to be done to reach the SDGs and how everyone can play a supportive role,” said Elena Panova, UN Resident Co-ordinator for Egypt during the consultation.
This consultation is part of Egypt's unique stakeholder engagement plan, developed in collaboration with the UN Country Team.
Inputs from both this consultation and an online survey refined Egypt's commitments before the SDG Summit.
The UN in Egypt, in tandem with the government, crafted a comprehensive SDG Insights Report, informing these commitments and focusing on accelerating the SDGs.
Hala Elsaid, Minister for Planning and Economic Development, reaffirmed Egypt’s dedication to achieving the SDGs in her message, underscoring poverty eradication, and addressing pivotal challenges, including hunger, inequality, environmental protection, and climate action.
“Egypt's commitment to contributing to our collective efforts to achieve sustainable development was evident during its presidency of COP27, which adopted ambitious and action-oriented outcomes, including the Sharm el-Sheikh Implementation Plan that includes milestone achievements in mitigation, adaptation and the provision of means of implementation,” she said.
Beyond the SDG Summit, Egypt continues its innovative approach towards achieving the SDGs.
The “Decent Life” initiative seeks to enhance life quality in impoverished villages through various means, including women's empowerment and infrastructure development.
Furthermore, the UN and the government of Egypt have actively joined forces in preparation for the Summit.
This partnership exemplifies their combined dedication to the SDGs, ensuring alignment with key national strategies like the National Climate Change Strategy 2050, National Human Rights Strategy, and Egypt Vision 2030.
Showcasing its innovative spirit, Egypt has been a pioneer in localising the SDGs. The country has prepared localisation reports for every governate, presented insightful Voluntary Local Reviews at the 2023 High-Level Political Forum, and even rolled out a competitive index for governates.
While the SDG Summit acts as a global stage for countries to declare their commitments, the real journey begins in the aftermath. Pledges must transform into tangible actions.
In this onward journey, Egypt is not alone. The UN is a great partner. The recently signed UN Sustainable Development Co-operation Framework (UNSDCF) 2023-27 is a testament to this partnership, presenting a shared vision for a brighter, more sustainable future.
As Minister Shoukry aptly concluded in New York, “With political will, we still possess the opportunity to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals and the aspirations we so dearly hold.”
