Foreign ministry calls for further UN presence in Egypt

Cairo – Ambassador Hesham Badr, Assistant Foreign Minister for multilateral relations and international security, expressed wishes to have further presence of the United Nations organizations, agencies and regional offices in Egypt. 

The foreign ministry detailed in a statement released on Sunday that Badr had an extensive meeting with all representatives of UN organizations and agencies operating in Egypt, praising the efforts of UN bodies in the Arab country. 

The meeting was attended by UN Resident Representative Richard Dictus; Ambassador Magdy Rady, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs for International Economic Relations; and Ambassador Said Hindam, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs for International Cooperation. 

Badr urged to seize the historic opportunity of the New Administrative Capital, to be established in Egypt, which will permit a comfortable and effective movement for the concerned organizations.

He pointed out that the priorities of the Egyptian plan are to meet, in the coming period, the goals of sustainable development for 2030. The plan includes the fight against poverty, increasing job opportunities, rational use of energy, youth and women empowerment and improvement of educational and health conditions for citizens. Badr noted that the projects and plans of UN agencies and organizations working in Egypt should be integrated with the government efforts in this regard. 

The representatives reviewed the desired goals of their proposed projects in Egypt in the coming period.

Badr sent a clear message to the representatives emphasizing that the current funding contributions should be doubled to counter big challenges, in addition to enhancing coordination between the UN organizations and the foreign ministry.

Dictus noted that Egypt acknowledges the importance of the United Nations, recalling the significant regional role played by the Arab country and the opening of the UN office in Egypt in 1949.