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.
