Egypt launches regular multi-stakeholder platforms held by the Ministry of International Cooperation to present development efforts and reforms being implemented across various sectors.
alongside the participation of multilateral and bilateral development partners, and relevant entities to create effective communication that will aid in accelerating the pace of development financing to implement Egypt’s Vision 2030 and the sustainable development goals (SDGs).
The Minister of International Cooperation, Rania El-Mashat, held a multi-stakeholder platform under the title “Communications and Information Technology for Development” in the presence of the Minister of Communications and Information Technology, Amr Talaat, and a number of officials from both ministries, and multilateral and bilateral development partners, including the UN Resident Coordinator in Egypt, Elena Panova, and representatives from the African Development Bank (AfDB).
The discussion circulated around strategies for the development of the information and communications technology (ICT) sector, and its role in supporting Egypt’s development vision, according to a statement.
El-Mashat said that the ICT sector proved pivotal during the COVID-19 pandemic, as all countries around the world had to depend on technology to continue businesses and day-to-day activities. As this past year witnessed the significant growth of this sector, the Ministry of International Cooperation held a multi-stakeholder platform to promote and present the structural reforms that have taken place in the ICT sector to the development partners.
She added that hosting multi-stakeholder platforms is the first principle that is part of the ministry’s economic diplomacy, launched in early 2020, to advance international partnerships that support achieving the SDGs. The minister added that multi-stakeholder platforms aim to promote structural reforms across sectors; share the stories of development efforts being made; open the door to cooperation between government entities, private sector, and development partners; discuss opportunities of partnership; and define development priorities.
The Egyptian government aims to maximise the participation of the private sector in the development agenda, and to implement structural reforms that support such a public-private cooperation, said El-Mashat. She added that the inclusion of development partners in these meetings has given them the opportunity to get acquainted with the procedures, the reforms, and the development plans to map out effective future partnerships.
