Cairo: The Ministry of Local Development and the Ministry of Environment hosted a meeting of the "Planet" results group under the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) to review achievements made during 2025 and approve strategic priorities alongside the 2026 implementation plan. The meeting aimed to support Egypt's efforts in sustainable natural resource management, climate change adaptation, the transition to a circular economy, and sustainable urban development.
According to State Information Service Egypt, representatives from several UN agencies and international organizations participated, including the World Food Program (WFP), the United Nations Resident Coordinator's Office (UNRCO), the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), UNESCO, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), UNICEF, the World Health Organization (WHO), and UN Women. Egyptian ministries and national institutions were also represented, including the ministries of agriculture and land reclamation, youth and sports, foreign affairs, international cooperation and Egyptian expatriates, planning, housing, utilities and urban communities, and water resources and irrigation. Additionally, the cabinet's Information and Decision Support Center (IDSC), the National Training Academy, the National Food Safety Authority, the General Organization for Physical Planning, and the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise Development Agency (MSMEDA) were in attendance.
Minister of Local Development and Environment Manal Awad directed that coordination with development partners and international organizations be strengthened to support Egypt's national efforts toward sustainable natural resource management and enhanced climate action. The meeting reviewed the planet group's achievements during 2025, including programs that improved natural resource management for approximately 2.4 million people, rehabilitated 9,573 hectares of land, and enabled 181,000 smallholder farmers to benefit from climate-smart agriculture practices.
Integrated land and water management systems were implemented in 12 governorates, reducing irrigation water consumption by up to 20 percent, increasing crop productivity by 15 percent, and raising farmers' incomes by around 40 percent. The meeting concluded with extensive discussions among representatives of ministries, national institutions, and UN agencies on priorities for the coming phase.
Participants explored ways to strengthen coordination, accelerate implementation of joint programs, align interventions with the needs of different governorates, and promote the sustainable use of natural resources while enhancing resilience to climate change. They also discussed mechanisms for monitoring the 2026 targets, performance indicators, resource mobilization, closing financing gaps, and exchanging expertise and best practices in sustainable land and water management, the circular economy, and sustainable urban development to ensure tangible development outcomes for citizens across Egypt.