Egypt: H.E. Dr. Rania Al-Mashat participates in a panel discussion on “Building Social Resilience for a Dignified Life for All”
H.E. Dr. Rania Al-Mashat, Minister of Planning, Economic Development, and International Cooperation, participated in a session organized by Egypt’s Ministry of Social Solidarity as part of the Second World Summit for Social Development, held under the title:
“From Copenhagen to Doha and Beyond: Building Social Resilience for Inclusive Social Development and a Dignified Life for All.”
The session was attended by H.E. Dr. Maya Morsy, Minister of Social Solidarity; Ms. Elena Panova, UN Resident Coordinator in Egypt; H.E. Dr. Sima Bahous, UN Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director of UN Women; H.E. Mr. Haoliang Xu, UN Under-Secretary-General and Associate Administrator of UNDP; and Dr. Mourdada Wahba, Acting Executive Secretary of ESCWA.
Dr. Al-Mashat’s participation came as part of the Egyptian delegation headed by H.E. Dr. Mostafa Madbouly, Prime Minister, representing H.E. President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, President of the Arab Republic of Egypt, at the Summit. The event is convened by the United Nations General Assembly in collaboration with the Government of Qatar and coordinated by the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA), taking place from 4 to 6 November 2025.
In her remarks, Dr. Al-Mashat affirmed that thirty years after the Copenhagen Declaration, Egypt today stands as a model for a country that has transformed its social protection framework from a short-term safety net into a long-term strategy for strengthening national resilience and empowering people.
She noted that despite global and regional challenges and tensions, Egypt continues to advance on its path toward comprehensive economic and social development, achieving notable progress in recent years while simultaneously reinforcing social protection systems through a broad set of integrated policies and programs.
Dr. Al-Mashat emphasized that social protection is not merely a slogan, but a tangible reality reflected in numerous national initiatives, foremost among them the “Takaful and Karama” (Solidarity and Dignity) cash transfer program, which has become a nationwide umbrella for low-income groups. Through this initiative, the government aims to move from protection to empowerment by increasing household income and facilitating entry into the labor market.
She added that the Presidential Initiative “Decent Life (Hayah Karima)” stands as one of Egypt’s most significant development programs, working to enhance public services, improve living standards, and expand investment in human capital.
Dr. Al-Mashat highlighted that 2025 marks the tenth anniversary of the “Takaful and Karama” program, Egypt’s flagship social protection initiative. She also referred to the “Decent Life” initiative, which supports sustainable rural development and benefits more than 50 million citizens across 4,700 villages, describing these programs as the backbone of Egypt’s commitment to ensuring that no one is left behind in the development process.
She further explained that Egypt’s approach to building social resilience is based on an integrated and inclusive framework that combines economic empowerment, digital inclusion, healthcare coverage, and local development — forming a coherent system designed to ensure that every household can not only withstand shocks but also transform vulnerabilities into capabilities.
On the topic of innovation, partnerships, and the future of social resilience, Dr. Al-Mashat stated that Egypt is now entering a new phase — shifting from program expansion to innovation-driven approaches. She added that, in terms of financing, Egypt continues to develop innovative financial mechanisms that expand fiscal space for investments in education, health, and human development, thereby reinforcing the country’s social infrastructure.
In this context, the Minister highlighted the launch of the Integrated National Financing Strategy (INFF), which outlines Egypt’s approach to financing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The strategy establishes a comprehensive national framework that brings together various financing initiatives aimed at accelerating SDG progress.
Through collaboration between national institutions and development partners, the INFF provides a context-specific, actionable roadmap and a robust monitoring and evaluation framework. Dr. Al-Mashat concluded that the strategy supports efforts to bridge the financing gap, increase financial flows to key sectors, enhance innovative financing instruments, and encourage private sector participation in achieving sustainable development.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Planning, Economic Development, and International Cooperation – Egypt.
