By Manal Abdel Fattah
Joint opinion piece, by: Ambassador Amr Elgowaily, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs for Multilateral Affairs and International Security
Elena Panova, UN Resident Coordinator in Egypt
A few months ago, with Egypt’s participation, the Future Summit was held in New York, which we all view as an opportunity to rebuild confidence in the international multilateral system, with the United Nations at its heart. We are confident that the three pioneering documents adopted by the summit, namely the “Charter for the Future”, the Global Digital Charter, and the “Declaration for Future Generations”, are important pillars for achieving that goal.
The Future Summit is based on a historical record of the United Nations, spanning nearly 80 years of international multilateral work, to which Egypt has made a pioneering contribution in the three main areas of the United Nations’ work: maintaining international peace and security through peacekeeping and disarmament; economic, developmental, and environmental issues; and human rights and international social and humanitarian issues.
Egypt’s active participation in the summit was an expression of its leadership and vision on a number of key global issues, and translated Egypt’s firm commitment to creating a more equal and inclusive international system, as a strong supporter of sustainable development and financing for development, international peace and security, science, technology, innovation and digital cooperation, youth and future generations, and enhancing effective participation in global governance. Egypt’s voice was decisive in formulating the summit’s outcomes, which aimed to lay the foundation for a new global contract. At the Future Summit, Egypt seized the opportunity to announce the “Integrated National Financing Strategy”, the first of its kind in the Arab region, as an additional step towards achieving the sustainable development goals and enhancing economic resilience. Egypt’s efforts to integrate artificial intelligence across a variety of key sectors in line with the sustainable development goals were also in the spotlight during the summit. Along with these national development efforts, demands were made to create a favorable international environment for this through reforming the multilateral economic structure. As the global economy faces multiple shocks that threaten progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals, and developing countries lose many of their hard-won development gains, we recall the Secretary-General’s Stimulus Plan for the Sustainable Development Goals announced by the United Nations in 2023, with the aim of providing sufficient support from developed and developing countries alike to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, by injecting liquidity, enhancing development financing, addressing sovereign debt burdens, and reducing the cost of borrowing for developing countries. This year, Egypt held the “Aswan Forum for Sustainable Peace and Development,” a pioneering initiative that provided a unique and vital platform that brought together a wide range of African stakeholders, including government representatives, private sector leaders, civil society organizations, and youth representatives. The forum aimed to reimagine global governance and amplify African priorities on peace, security, and development towards reforming the multilateral system and strengthening the global agenda for conflict prevention and peacebuilding. The partnership between the United Nations and Egypt is a living testament to what can be achieved when global goals are met with national commitment. The 2023 Annual Results Report of the United Nations Country Team in the Arab Republic of Egypt highlights our joint achievements, which span across sectors in line with Egypt’s national priorities. It is a long-standing partnership that plays a vital role in the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals. Together, we are advancing national priorities aligned with the SDGs, including our joint efforts to ensure enhanced human capital with a focus on children and youth, and inclusive and environmentally sustainable economic development, across the various areas covered by the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) 2023-2027. In a few weeks, specifically in November, Egypt will also host the 12th edition of the World Urban Forum (WUF12), an opportunity to develop collective solutions to make cities more inclusive, resilient and sustainable. All of these initiatives provide a broader space for us to work together towards a more equal and sustainable future. It is through such a spirit and collective action that we can address complex global issues and ensure that no one is left behind. This is precisely the goal of the fruit of our cooperation in local development projects and initiatives. Over the years, we have worked together to achieve tangible gains for millions of people, from addressing poverty and climate adaptation to enhancing women’s empowerment and reaching job opportunities for youth.
Here, we cannot but emphasize the need to achieve the principles and purposes of the United Nations, especially with regard to the right of all peoples to achieve their destiny, and through the peaceful settlement of international disputes. In the Arab world, the Middle East and the African continent, we are in dire need of implementing all United Nations resolutions, which are resolutions of international legitimacy, and we rely on the rules of international law and international humanitarian law that must be respected everywhere by all parties.
On this United Nations Day, let us work to unite our efforts together in the spirit of multilateralism. Our common future depends on our ability to cooperate, innovate and act quickly. We face enormous challenges, but we have promising potential and strong determination. By working together, we can achieve the peace, prosperity and dignity that we all seek. The United Nations will continue to serve as a beacon of solidarity across the globe, a voice for the voiceless, and a catalyst for progress. Egypt will continue to be a leader in its work and a leader in its groups. Together, we can build a better, more equal world for all. Our common future depends on every woman and man among us.
