Egypt’s Minister of Planning Hala El-Said launched the report during the fourth Arab Sustainable Development Week (ASD) organised by the League of Arab States and hosted in Cairo from 13 to 15 February under the theme “together for sustainable recovery.”

The 13-chapter report is characterised by comprehensiveness, presenting an objective and in-depth analysis of various development finance issues that affect the achievement of the UN sustainable development goals, El-Said noted in a speech during the fourth ASD week.

The report provides an analytical review of various development and economic sectors and their impact on the development situation in Egypt, she noted.

The report was developed under the umbrella of the Arab League, El-Said noted, which chose Egypt to be the first country to prepare the report. A number of Arab countries will also prepare similar reports later to pave the way for the preparation of a league of development financing in the Arab region, El-Said added.

Elena Panova, UN resident coordinator in Egypt, hailed the launch of the report, saying she is “proud that the UN Egypt provided extensive inputs to the report.”

UN Special Envoy on Financing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Mahmoud Mohieldin, the lead author of the report, said Egyptian entities as well as international institutions, including the UN and the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, cooperated on the report.

“This is considered an actual translation of the 17th goal of the SDGs,” Mohieldin said in a speech during the fourth ASD week, referring to the goal that calls for global partnership for sustainable development.

He noted that the report, which adopts the same approaches of the UN’s Financing for Sustainable Development Report on the global level, is consistent with the international frameworks for sustainable development finance and the SDGs adopted by the UN in 2015.

The report introduces proposals that the Arab countries can benefit from, Mohieldin added.

Secretary-General of the League of Arab States Ahmed Aboul Gheit praised the report, saying it is a “product of joint efforts and cooperation among sincere and competent people”.

The report will help decision makers understand the situation of the sustainable development at the national level and introduce approaches and recommendations in this regard, Aboul Gheit said in a speech during the fourth ASD Week.

Egypt has embarked on a Sustainable Development Strategy – Vision 2030 – which places a priority on the transition to a green economy and protecting its marine ecosystem as part of the country's efforts to confront climate change.

Raising Arab sustainable development funding

Aboul-Gheit called on international partners and financial institutions to increase the funding allocated to the Arab region to expedite the pace of implementing the sustainable development agenda.

“I reiterate my call for international partners and financial institutions to increase the [financial] allocations directed to the Arab region so that it can fulfill its obligations before 2030,” Aboul Gheit said.

The Arab League chief, during his speech, highlighted the environmental pillar of the sustainable development, noting that “economic and social development cannot be achieved at the expense of nature.”

Aboul Gheit called for benefiting from the Arab region’s hosting of the UN climate change conferences, COP27 and COP28, in 2022 and 2023 to defend Arab interests, affirming that the Arab region is among the areas most harmed by climate change.

Egypt is scheduled to host COP27 in Sharm El-Sheikh city in November this year, while the UAE is scheduled to host COP28 in 2023.

The fourth ASD Week, inaugurated today under the auspices of Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi, is held in partnership with the United Nations, the World Bank, the European Union, and the Egyptian Ministry of Planning and Economic Development.

ASD Week, which was launched in 2017 under the Arab League, seeks to discuss means of supporting the SDGs 2030 in the Arab region with the participation of key figures and high-level officials.

Executive Secretary of UN Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) Rola Dashti and Ayat Soliman, the regional director for the World Bank Group's Sustainable Development Department for the Middle East and North Africa region attended the fourth ASD Week opening.