Cairo – Mubasher: The Minister of International Cooperation, Rania El-Mashat, met with the trainees of the third class in the Executive Presidential Leadership Program at the National Training Academy (NTA), in the presence of Rascha Ragheb, the Executive Director of NTA, to discuss the role played by the ministry in accordance with the Egyptian President's Decree No. 303 of 2004 to strengthen joint economic relations with multilateral and bilateral development partners in support of national development efforts.
El-Mashat began the discussion by explaining the grants and technical support provided for development projects, and the progress made to achieve a circular economy through environmentally friendly projects, accelerating the pace of the implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The minister also shared some of the personal traits that future leaders should have.
She elaborated that there are various types of financing available to all countries in order to achieve their goals and fill financing gaps. This includes the development financing provided through international financial institutions (IFIs), which is what the ministry utilises, such as the World Bank Group (WBG), the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), and development institutions of governments across the world, characterised by long-term repayment plans and significantly lower interest rates in comparison to other financing methods.
El-Mashat also explained the ministry’s mandate issued by the Egyptian President's Decree No. 303 of 2004, committing the ministry to develop and strengthen the economic cooperation between Egypt and other countries as well as international and regional organisations; propose the criteria for obtaining external financing, both funds and grants; follow-up and monitor ministries and national agencies that benefit from foreign financing within the framework of the general economic policy of the country to ensure achieving the economic development goals; and manage Egypt’s economic relations with international organisations of economic cooperation, the international financial institutions, and specialised agencies of the United Nations.
Also adding that the Ministry of International Cooperation plays a key role in the Egypt government’s 2018/2019- 2021/2022 programme, El-Mashat expressed that the ministry strengthens cooperation with multilateral and bilateral development partners, national entities, private sector, and civil society, through the principles of economic diplomacy, to support the national agenda, consistent with the UN SDGs, to achieve a circular economy.
El-Mashat explained that economic diplomacy has three main principles: the regular organisation of multi-stakeholder platforms to ensure that all projects between development partners are streamlined and effectively aligned with the national agenda and the SDGs; the mapping of the official development assistance to the SDGs for all projects with multilateral and bilateral development partners; and the adoption of a consistent global partnerships narrative that puts people at the core, through projects in action, with purpose as the driver.
The minister shared that in 2020, $9.8 billion was secured in terms of development financing, including $6.7 billion secured for financing sovereign projects and $3.1 billion in support of the private sector. El-Mashat pointed out that the agreements for the transport sector represented 26.7% of the total development financing in 2020, and 21% represented the housing, water, and sewage networks.
The minister also addressed the impact of development financing across sectors, including infrastructure, health and population, investment in human capital, Sinai, and social protection; stressing that the role of the Ministry of International Cooperation does not come to an end with the negotiation, but rather it goes beyond securing development financing through follow-up on implementation. Across all governorates, the ministry has worked on reducing the challenges facing the 377 projects to affect less than 2% of the development interventions.
The presentation also included a number of short films implemented with development partners such as the World Food Programme (WFP), alongside the 2020 Annual Report “International Partnerships for Sustainable Development: Writing the Future in a Changing Global Dynamic” video that details multiple success stories. El-Mashat also discussed the launch of her recent book “Stakeholder Engagement Through Economic Diplomacy” which documents Egypt’s experience in international cooperation.
The Executive Presidential Leadership Program aims to enhance the calibre of the middle management in governmental entities with the needed expertise in research, political systems, and governing to qualify them for leadership positions in the future.
