Egypt’s unwavering efforts to broker peace and development in turbulent times
Multiple concurrent geopolitical crises are posing dramatic challenges to our world today, in ways that threaten the sustainability of peace and security as well as the global economy. The turbulent times we are witnessing have placed the pertinent ramifications of conflict, violence and vulnerability at the forefront of the theory and practice of development. Egypt’s regional environment is no exception. As one of the world’s ancient civilisations, Egypt honours its tradition of providing an anchor of stability in the region and serving as a relentless broker of peace and promoter of humanitarian responses to the multifaceted crises that plague our world.
The conflict in Gaza
A regrettable outbreak of the war on Gaza, its continuation for over a year and its catastrophic consequences both in and beyond the Middle East leave no room for doubt that there can be no alternative approach to achieving shared prosperity other than through achieving peace. The ongoing horrifying war on Gaza is a clear manifestation of the inability of the international community to put an end to the most prolonged conflict in the world. It represents a flagrant violation of international law and relevant United Nations resolutions that have consistently called for the establishment of an independent state of Palestine living side by side with Israel in peace. It is also evident that the escalation of conflict in the Middle East poses the threat of further catastrophic scenarios, not only for the region but for the world at large. This complex and precarious situation is even further exacerbated by continued tension in the Red Sea, with its implications undermining and endangering the freedom of international navigation and global trade flows.
Accordingly, it becomes clearer that reaching an agreement on an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, which paves the way for a comprehensive settlement of the Palestinian question, would benefit all parties. With this spirit, I salute President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva of Brazil for joining my call for an immediate ceasefire, unimpeded access for humanitarian aid and the restoration of the path towards the implementation of the two-state solution. I further call upon G20 leaders to extend their collective support to the imperative demand for peace and a viable post-conflict reconstruction plan.
Our African brother and sisters
Despite this dire situation, tensions in the Middle East have not distracted Egypt from assuming its responsibilities towards its African brothers and sisters. Egypt’s tireless efforts to find a peaceful solution to the crisis in Sudan stand as a testament to Egypt’s steadfast support for African issues. Successive mediation initiatives, including the Cairo Conference for Sudanese Civil and Political Forces, held in July 2024, reflect Egypt’s resolute commitment to strengthening and preserving state institutions in Sudan, to avoid the chaos and disorder that are detrimental to the Sudanese people.
This commitment stems from Egypt’s longstanding respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of states, as well as its firm belief that a stable and unified country is the ultimate guarantor of peace and prosperity. Egypt believes that these principles apply not only to the current crisis in Sudan but also to other states of the region in similar situations, most notably our fellow brothers and sisters in Somalia, who have persistently been facing major challenges and threats related to their unity and territorial integrity, which require adequate attention by the international community.
Risks to political stability and territorial integrity have repercussions for affected countries and also their neighbourhood. A continuously elusive peaceful resolution of the conflict in Sudan, coupled with the gravity of the ensuing humanitarian catastrophe, has already forced 1.2 million individuals to seek refuge in Egypt – a significant addition to over four million Sudanese citizens already residing in Egypt. Despite all efforts to welcome our sisters and brothers from Sudan, we cannot ignore the fact that this situation poses several economic and social challenges, which neighbouring countries share as well. An even larger population of internally displaced citizens totalling 10 million individuals from Sudan will likely join the quest for safe haven in neighbouring countries. I therefore echo the concern of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees that international commitments are falling short. The international community must fulfil its duties and responsibilities towards Sudanese refugees and not abandon neighbouring countries, facing this difficult task alone on behalf of the global community.
Geopolitical risks and development assistance
With approximately 75% of the world’s refugees hosted in low- and middle-income countries, developing economies are disproportionately affected by geopolitical risks, while they struggle with their own developmental and economic challenges. A particularly important question is whether our official development assistance landscape is well suited to respond to the repercussions of such an increasingly tense geopolitical climate, including increased demand for humanitarian assistance and refugee resettlement. Indeed, it is true that multiple crises have squeezed donors’ budgets; however, it is of utmost importance for global stability to demonstrate solidarity with countries and peoples facing such crises. I urge G20 leaders to adopt a joint call to elevate developmental and humanitarian considerations in the allocation of humanitarian aid and development finance.
In the same vein, some African states are suffering from the ever-growing and complex predicament relating to water scarcity, which is further aggravated by the effects of climate change, and which has exacerbated political and economic instability. This issue is of the utmost consequence to Egypt, as one of the most hyper-arid countries in the world. It poses an existential threat to the country, which depends on the Nile for over 98% of its water, and struggles to meet the vital human needs of its population with annual per capita access far below the water poverty line, and expected to fall below the absolute water poverty line by the end of 2025. In Egypt’s view, water security is a multifaceted issue inextricably linked to the right to life and the right to development. We therefore strongly believe that it is the world’s collective duty to safeguard those rights.
Water security
In this regard, Egypt reaffirms its unwavering commitment to working ceaselessly with other states in our region to ensure the preservation of water security for all, in tandem with concentrating our efforts to advance the realisation of the Sustainable Development Goals for the entirety of our region. With this spirit, I earnestly call on my fellow leaders of the G20 to spare no effort in assisting and supporting African states, specifically those of the Nile basin, to jointly face this dire challenge, through genuine cooperation and enduring respect for the sacrosanct principles of no-harm, inclusive cooperation based on best practices, as well as a sound and non-selective application of international law.
The situation is further exacerbated by a global trend of decreasing official development assistance, coupled with a high debt burden, which has left Africa to face the consequences of high borrowing costs and debt servicing, jeopardising the endeavours of numerous African countries to achieve sustainable development and the SDGs. African countries continue to incur substantial borrowing costs that are four times higher than those of the United States and eight times higher than those of the wealthiest European economies. This emphasises the dire need for a holistic approach to rid the world of this vicious cycle.
Of equal importance, there remains an urgent need to reform the global financial architecture to be fit for purpose and to be equitable and responsive to the financing needs and priorities of developing countries, including middle-income countries. In this regard, it is critical to reform the policies and practices of multilateral development banks, to increase their support and lending capacities, to help developing countries gain better access to concessional finance and other non-debt instruments, and to unlock investment opportunities for a just and sustainable transition. Furthermore, there is an imperative need to explore innovative instruments to alleviate the debt burden, including debt swaps for nature. Egypt counts on the G20 to play a crucial role in enhancing and reforming the global financial architecture, to ensure that international financial institutions remain well-suited in the context of the current global overlapping challenges, and to better support developing countries in addressing these challenges and building resilience to withstand future ones.
Egypt’s economic and social reforms
Amid the multifaceted challenges facing the global economy, Egypt has prioritised the implementation of an ambitious economic and social reform programme, with a vision of long-term inclusive economic and social development. In line with its Sustainable Development Strategy, ‘Egypt Vision 2030’ aims at maintaining considerable economic growth rates and enabling Egypt to remain resilient in the face of challenges posed by current risks and global uncertainties.
To mitigate the impacts of the macroeconomic reforms on all segments of society, including the most underprivileged, Egypt launched its most ambitious social safety net projects entitled ‘Takaful and Karama’ (Solidarity and Dignity) and ‘Decent Life’. These projects are designed to aid and support a large sector of the Egyptian population. Egypt has also embarked on a significant endeavour to become a global hub for multimodal transportation, energy, and logistics. This involves a comprehensive plan to modernise these sectors and increase their production capacities, particularly in new and renewable energy projects such as green hydrogen production, thereby benefitting from Egypt’s strategic geographic location, which intersects with major international trade routes. Furthermore, Egypt has implemented major infrastructure projects, including a new generation of smart and sustainable cities, such as the new administrative capital and the New Alamein City, which reflect a real leap in urban development, opening broader horizons for development and prosperity to the Egyptian people.
Egypt, a voice from Africa, the Mediterranean and the Middle East, has brought to G20 meetings critical political and economic considerations that profoundly affect macroeconomic stability in multiple developing regions. Cross-border spillovers from zones of vulnerability, conflict and violence, combined with tepid international solidarity and cooperation, overburden our already overstretched resources and affect investor sentiment. I unequivocally urge the G20, and the international community at large, to understand that our collective failure to resolve these conflicts is a looming threat to our dream for a prosperous world free of poverty.
Note: A shortened version of this article, which was written in September 2024, appears in G20 Brazil: The 2024 Rio Summit, edited by John Kirton and Madeline Koch.
