Egypt to put sustainability, multilateralism at the heart of post-COVID recovery

Policy makers in Egypt are to lead a conversation that aims to set out a blueprint for a post-COVID-19 recovery which will put sustainability and multilateralism at the heart of new global growth.

Heads of state, national, regional and international policymakers, private-sector stakeholders, development leaders, civil society bodies and think tanks are set to converge in Cairo this week to discuss ways to shape global economies and assert a collective commitment to sustainable development as a catalyst for the post-pandemic economy.

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The conference aims to trigger a global conversation about how the COVID-19 pandemic can be a catalyst for renewed action to meet the UN's Sustainable Development Goals; a 17-point action plan that targets ending poverty, protecting the planet, and improving the lives and prospects of people around the world.

Speaking ahead of the inaugural Egypt International Cooperation Forum (Egypt – ICF), which will take place between 8-9 September 2021, Dr Rania A. al-Mashat, Egypt’s Minister of International Cooperation, said: “Today, the focus has shifted to new emerging economies such as Egypt.”

“We are the heart of international cooperation, and with less than decade to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, it’s clear that the world is counting on us and that our efforts need an urgent reset,” al-Mashat added.

“The International Cooperation Forum is an attempt to redesign international cooperation to reflect the new face of the global economy, and to galvanize a renewed global momentum behind international cooperation to push for global solutions that address the most critical issues our world faces today.”

Participants at the event include representatives from the World Bank and the World Economic Forum.

Al-Mashat also said: “With the global pandemic causing unprecedented economic disruption and the rate of climate change growing more alarming by the day, international cooperation and economic diplomacy has never been more important.”

“Only through multilateralism, cooperation and multi-stakeholder participation can the global community help developing economies build back better.”

The International Cooperation Forum is aiming to conclude with the Cairo Communiqué, which is set to identify priorities and provide global solutions that reflect the world’s most critical challenges in order to guide policymakers and government through the post-pandemic recovery.

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