Assistant Secretary-General of the United Nations (UN), Mourad Wahba, concluded a three-day visit to Egypt after meeting the country’s ministers of foreign affairs; investment and international cooperation; social solidarity; and planning, monitoring, and reform. He also met members of the National Council for Women, and the Local Development and Environment Council, as well as Secretary-General of the Arab League Ahmed Aboul-Gheit.
In his meetings, Wahba discussed support to Egypt’s development agenda and regional cooperation. His engagements in Cairo began at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs where he met Egyptian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sameh Shoukry.
Wahba praised Egypt’s positive steps to achieve sustainable development and its launch of mega projects in addition to progress on women’s agendas.
He discussed preparations to hold the first international conference on the implementation of the sustainable development strategy of Egypt Vision 2030 with Minister of Planning, Monitoring, and Administrative Reform Hala al-Said.
Wahba also met Maya Morsy, president of the National Council for Women, where discussions took place regarding the official global launch of the “Taa Marbuta” campaign for women’s empowerment, which coincides with the Year of Egyptian Women celebration announced by President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi.
Wahba was hosted by Minister of Social Solidarity Ghada Waly. They discussed social protection projects and the “Takaful w Karama” (Diginity and Solidarity) programme, which supports thousands of Egyptians. He also met Minister of Environment Khaled Fahmy to discuss joint cooperation and the preparations to host the 14th Conference of Parties meeting for the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP14), planned to be hosted in Egypt in 2018. This is the first time since 2000 for an African country to host this important conference.
The visit confirms the fruitful and effective cooperation between the Egyptian government and UNDP to achieve Egypt’s national priorities, as well as the sustainable development strategy of the Egypt Vision 2030. Mr Wahba was appointed last February as UNDP regional director for Arab states.
Watani International
18 March 2017