ESCWA backs Egypt’s SDG drive through finance, social protection, climate cooperation

26 / 07 / 2026

By Marwa Nassar - -

The United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) reaffirmed its commitment to supporting Egypt’s sustainable development agenda, highlighting a broad partnership spanning public finance, social protection, climate action, innovation, and institutional capacity building to accelerate progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Expanding cooperation on SDGs:

On the occasion of the 74th anniversary of the July 23 Revolution, ESCWA Executive Secretary Rania Mashat extended congratulations to Egypt, describing the country as a strategic partner in the Arab region.

She said the long-standing partnership is centered on implementing development programs that strengthen national institutions, enhance regional cooperation, build government capacity, and advance the achievement of the SDGs.

Supporting economic, social reforms:

ESCWA highlighted a series of joint initiatives with Egyptian government institutions in recent years, including the continued development of the Social Expenditure Monitor (SEM) with the Ministry of Finance and the preparation of the State of Development in Egypt report.

The cooperation also covers the development of financing tools and economic simulation models to assess the impact of trade policies, alongside efforts to strengthen social protection systems, support disability-inclusive policies, enhance statistical capacities, and advance climate action, science, technology, and innovation.

Investing in institutional capacity:

The partnership has also focused on strengthening public sector capabilities through specialized training programs, including the Josour initiative, which provides capacity-building opportunities for Egyptian government officials.

According to ESCWA, these efforts contribute to public administration reform while enhancing the skills needed to deliver sustainable development policies.

Deepening partnership:

Building on these initiatives, ESCWA reaffirmed its commitment to deepening cooperation with Egypt in support of the country’s national development priorities, with the aim of advancing sustainable development and shared prosperity across the Arab region.