The first edition of the “Egypt – International Cooperation Forum (ICF): Engaging for Impact” set to be launched by the Ministry of International Cooperation on September 8 and 9 will feature five dialogue sessions and seven workshops.
Many international financial institutions and regional organizations will take part in the forum, including the UN, its affiliated organizations and representatives of the private sector, civil society and governments from Africa and the region.
The forum will include a number of intensive events on various topics in international cooperation and development financing at the present time, where countries are facing multiple challenges due to the coronavirus pandemic and climate changes, International Cooperation Minister Rania al-Mashat said in a statement on Monday.
The ICF constitutes an opportunity to create effective communication between all relevant participating parties to develop specific visions and exchange views on how to support international efforts to achieve sustainable development, she explained.
The participation of major international financial institutions such as the World Bank Group, the African Development Bank Group, the European Investment Bank, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, alongside the UN, reflects the importance of this forum, Egypt’s leading role and the keenness of its political leadership to support multilateral cooperation and all efforts aimed at effective international partnerships.
Leaders and high-level officials from the UN and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development will participate in the opening session.
Four dialogue sessions will be held under the titles of “The Role of Multilateral Partnerships in Post-COVID-19 Reconstruction Efforts”, “Strengthening International Financing Mechanisms to Comply with the Sustainable Development Goals 2030”, and “Encouraging the Participation of the Private Sector in Development through Development Financing”, and “Green Transformation: Opportunities and Challenges Facing Developing Countries”.
The seven workshops at the forum are based around topics such as activating regional cooperation following upon the African Free Trade Agreement, and seek to present Egypt’s experience in matching development finances with the UN goals for sustainable development.
Other workshops center on the role of women and efforts to support Egypt’s female entrepreneurs, food security and employment in Africa in the era of digitization, innovation, entrepreneurship, the role of youth in Africa and the Middle East, and investment in human capital.
On Wednesday, the Ministry of International Cooperative announced launching ICF on September 8 and 9.
The forum is scheduled to conclude with a final statement and recommendations from all participants, on the importance of development finance and multilateral cooperation to support the efforts made by countries to achieve development around the world, especially in the Middle East and Africa.
The recommendations of the conference will also be promoted in international platforms and forums as a strong addition to the global effort to achieve sustainable development and the UN 2030 Agenda.
The Ministry of International Cooperation is working in accordance with Presidential Resolution No. 303 of 2004, which seeks to develop and strengthen economic cooperation relations between Egypt and other countries and international and regional organizations, and propose criteria for foreign borrowing and receiving grants.
According to the decree, the ministry must also follow up local borrowing bodies and beneficiaries of foreign grants, to manage Egypt’s economic relations with organizations, economic cooperation institutions, international financial institutions and UN specialized agencies.
