Dr. Khaled Abdel Ghaffar, Minister of Health , welcomed Dr. Abdullah Al-Dardiri, Assistant Secretary-General of the United Nations, Director of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and Director of the UNDP Regional Bureau for Arab States, along with his accompanying delegation, to discuss the latest developments in cooperation between Egypt and the UN in the fields of human development and the health sector.
Dr. Hossam Abdel Ghaffar, the Ministry’s official spokesperson, highlighted that the meeting focused on the priorities of the human development program in areas such as social protection, education, and health. The Minister also welcomed the inclusion of Mr. Ghimar Al-Dib, Deputy Resident Representative of the UNDP, into the High Advisory Committee for Human Development. This committee includes a group of distinguished officials, experts, and specialists in the fields of human development, economics, planning, and media, aiming to benefit from their expertise in formulating strategies and policies necessary to achieve the objectives of the Ministerial Group for Human Development.
Abdel Ghaffar noted that the meeting also addressed the UNDP’s support for Egypt’s comprehensive health sector development project. The initiative aims to provide the best healthcare services to citizens, improve the infrastructure of hospitals, and includes a project for establishing a modern facility for hazardous medical waste treatment in Suez Governorate.
The spokesperson further emphasized that the meeting also touched upon Egypt’s leadership role in providing humanitarian assistance and medical support to Palestinians, discussing avenues of cooperation with the UNDP in contributing to the reconstruction of Gaza. This includes the establishment of hospitals and healthcare units as part of the rebuilding efforts.
Attendees of the meeting included Dr. Amr Qandil, Deputy Minister for Preventive Affairs; Dr. Mohamed Hassany, Assistant Minister for Public Health Initiatives; Dr. Mohamed Fawzy, Minister’s Adviser for Radiology Affairs; Dr. Hatem Amer, Minister’s Assistant for International Relations; Dr. Suzanne Elzanaty, Director of the General Administration of International Relations and Agreements; Mr. Alessandro Fracassiti, UNDP Resident Representative in Egypt; Mr. Ghimar Al-Dib, Deputy UNDP Resident Representative in Egypt; and Dr. Heba Wafa, Director of the UNDP’s Women Empowerment Program in Egypt.
This meeting underscores Egypt’s continued efforts to enhance cooperation with international partners, reinforcing its commitment to sustainable human development and improving the health sector, both domestically and in support of its regional neighbors.
