The United Nations in Egypt and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs co-organized a ceremony at Tahrir Palace in Cairo, to commemorate the 76th anniversary of the United Nations.
Attended by senior representatives from the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the heads of the UN agencies in Egypt and representatives of diplomatic missions and regional diplomatic corps in Egypt, the event was an opportunity to reflect on the long-standing and successful relationship between the UN and Egypt, the founding member of the international organization as well as ways of reinforcing multilateralism and tackle global challenges.
The celebration was also an opportunity to highlight the different areas of cooperation and partnership between the UN in Egypt and the Government of Egypt, and the work done by the UN system in Egypt to support the government’s efforts in order accelerate the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals and making sure that no one is left behind.
The bonds of cooperation between Egypt and the UN are solid
Addressing the ceremony, H.E. Ihab Badawy, Assistant Foreign Minister for Multilateral and International Security said that commemorating the UN 76th anniversary is “an opportunity to reaffirm our belief in the importance of collective, multilateral action to address issues of joint interest.” He also highlighted the importance of adopting a comprehensive approach when dealing with sustainable development agenda and achieving its 17 goals by 2030. “We, as partners, must acknowledge the nexus between any economic decision and its direct social impact when formulating policies aiming at achieving SDGs on all levels whether bilateral or multilateral,” he noted.
The UN Resident Coordinator in Egypt, Elena Panova mentioned “the bonds of cooperation between Egypt and the UN are solid. It is grounded with the values and principles of the UN Charter. Our common goal to accelerate the implementation of the SDGs, leaving no one behind remains the main driver of our cooperation.” She added, “we are proud of the countless stories of joint successes derived from our Partnership Development Framework to advance Egypt’s efforts on the People, Prosperity, Planet and Women portfolios.”
During the event a video statement by UN Secretary-General, António Guterres was screened where he reaffirmed the need to come together to overcome challenges, from COVID-19, conflicts, and hunger to poverty, the climate emergency and advancing the Sustainable Development Goals.
Guterres also said that the values that have powered the UN Charter for the last 76 years — peace, development, human rights, and opportunity for all — have no expiry date.
Since 1945, Egypt has been a strong partner in multilateral action. Egypt is one of the largest contributors of peacekeeping forces and has been an elected member of the Security Council five times. Egypt chaired multiple UN commissions including the UN Peacekeeping Commission, chaired the Group of 77 at the United Nations in New York in 2018, and in Rome in 2019. Egypt also hosts about 38 United Nations offices and can be considered one of the largest regional centres of the United Nations.
