As part of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of Egypt’s accession to the United Nations, the Faculty of Economics and Political Science at Cairo University co-organized the conference “Egypt and the United Nations”, which concluded on February 13, 2025. The event marked the launch of a strategic partnership and a series of initiatives between the Faculty and the Department of Multilateral Affairs and International Security at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, along with the Office of the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Egypt.

The conference served as the starting point for a series of events throughout 2025, each addressing a different multilateral issue falling under the three main pillars of the United Nations’ work: the maintenance of international peace and security, economic development and environmental sustainability, and human rights and international social and humanitarian affairs.

In their opening remarks, Ambassador Amr Eljowaily, Assistant Foreign Minister for Multilateral Affairs and International Security; Dr. Mohamed Sami Abdel Sadek, President of Cairo University; Elena Panova, United Nations Resident Coordinator in Egypt; and Dr. Hanan Aly, Dean of the Faculty of Economics and Political Science, all emphasized the importance of the partnership between diplomatic and academic institutions, and praised the ongoing cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The conference featured a distinguished group of speakers, including 18 ambassadors serving as Assistant Foreign Ministers, Deputy Assistant Ministers, and Directors of relevant departments at the Ministry, the Director of the Cairo International Center for Conflict Resolution, Peacekeeping and Peacebuilding, 15 directors of UN regional and country offices in Cairo, and 10 professors from the Faculty of Economics and Political Science. Attendees also included ambassadors representing the Egyptian Council for Foreign Affairs, researchers from the Information and Decision Support Center, and third- and fourth-year undergraduate and PhD students from the Faculty.

Throughout the various sessions of the conference, speakers highlighted Egypt’s contributions to international peace and security within the framework of the UN, as well as in sustainable development—spanning its social, economic, and environmental dimensions—climate change, urban development, and Egypt’s engagement with UN agencies, international specialized bodies, and regional and international political and economic groupings. Other key topics included cooperation with international civil society, international social and humanitarian fields, migration, combating human trafficking, women’s empowerment, health and population, food security, Egypt’s role in addressing international legal issues at the UN, as well as its efforts in industry, technology, culture, and cooperation with international and regional political organizations and the Francophonie.

The conference concluded with the announcement of a comprehensive action plan, including an agreement to hold the conference annually in mid-February, the proposal to establish both a faculty research unit and a student club focused on UN multilateral issues, the selection of outstanding students to visit the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and hosting senior UN officials at the Faculty to deliver public lectures.