In a landmark step towards strengthening Egypt’s sustainable development agenda, H.E. Dr. Rania A. Al-Mashat, Minister of Planning, Economic Development, and International Cooperation, witnessed the signing of a strategic four-year partnership (2025–2029) between the Sawiris Foundation for Social Development and the Essam & May Aalam Foundation for Sustainable Development.
The agreement aims to bolster collaborative efforts across three key pillars: education, agriculture, and community development, aligning with Egypt’s national priorities and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The signing ceremony was attended by prominent figures including Dr. Maya Morsy, Minister of Social Solidarity, Mr. Sameh Shoukry, Former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Hala El-Said, Economic Advisor to the President and Former Minister of Planning, Dr. Ghada Waly, United Nations Under-Secretary-General and former Executive Director of the UNODC, and Amb. Nabila Makram, Head of the Technical Secretariat of the National Alliance for Civil Work
in addition to representatives from both foundations and the broader civil society sector.
The agreement was signed by Eng. Naguib Sawiris, Founder and Vice Chairman of the Board of Trustees at Sawiris Foundation for Social Development, and Eng. Hassan Allam, Founder and Chairman of the Board of Trustees at Essam & May Aalam Foundation.
Al-Mashat: Civil Society is a Key Partner in Economic Development
During the event, Minister Al-Mashat emphasized the importance of civil society partnerships in accelerating national development goals.
She further noted the Egyptian government’s strong support for civil society institutions, acknowledging their pivotal role in delivering targeted interventions to underserved communities across all governorates.
Evidence-Based Policy and International Collaboration
Minister Al-Mashat highlighted the Ministry’s longstanding collaboration with the Sawiris Foundation, particularly through the establishment of the Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL) MENA office in Egypt. This partnership supports evidence-based policymaking and randomized evaluations to inform impactful development strategies.
J-PAL MENA operates across nine key sectors: labor markets, entrepreneurship, finance, gender, health, education, social protection, environment and climate change, and humanitarian work. The lab’s work strengthens policy implementation by building partnerships with governments and civil society to scale effective programs backed by data and research.
A National Platform for Sustainable Development Collaboration
Al-Mashat affirmed Egypt’s role as a regional hub for international cooperation, serving as a platform that unites government, private sector, and civil society in pursuit of the SDGs. She noted that the newly signed partnership directly contributes to addressing multidimensional poverty, especially through the provision of open data that guides targeted development interventions.
The event concluded with a high-level panel discussion featuring Minister Al-Mashat, Eng. Naguib Sawiris, Eng. Hassan Allam, and H.E. Ambassador Éric Chevallier, Ambassador of France to Egypt. The panel underscored the importance of integrated, impact-driven partnerships and the role of philanthropic foundations in advancing national development priorities under Egypt’s Vision 2030.
