H.E. Dr. Rania A. Al-Mashat, Minister of Planning, Economic Development and International Cooperation, toured several  departments in the Ministry’s office to follow up on the progress of work, with the participation of Mr. Mohamed Ibrahim, Permanent Under Secretary of the Ministry.  H.E. also continued her meetings with the directors  of the Ministry and different departments.

During the tour, Al-Mashat greeted many of the  employees at the Ministry, underscoring the importance of steadfastly pursuing and implementing the ministry’s strategic work plans. Emphasizing a vision centered on inclusive growth and sustainable economic development, H.E.  highlighted the ministry’s pivotal role in supporting Egypt’s efforts in working towards macroeconomic stability, thus accelerating comprehensive and sustainable development.

Al-Mashat stressed the importance of enhancing work efficiency within the framework of both the planning and economic development, as well as the international cooperation files.  Central to the agenda is a focus on the new government’s program for the next 3 years, with a particular focus on investing in human capital, alongside utilizing various tools and mechanisms to strengthen the pillars of economic advancement within the economic reform process, enhancing the efficiency of public investments, and unlocking more private sector participation in development, thus boosting growth rates and creating more job opportunities.

The Minister stressed the importance of ensuring seamless coordination, synergy and coordination between relevant entities and ministries in order to achieve progress towards the Egyptian government’s program, enhance the efficiency of public investments, follow up on the executive position of the country’s economic and social development plan, and projects in the governorates and overcoming any obstacles in their implementation.

Furthermore, Minister Al-Mashat noted the importance of integration between the financing tools available from multilateral and bilateral development partners, and planning mechanisms, to advance efforts towards implementing the government’s goals and meet the needs of Egyptian citizens, particularly in terms of investing in human capital and empowering the private sector; poised to drive sustainable economic growth.

During the tour, the Ministry’s employees congratulated Al-Mashat on assuming the portfolio of the Minister of Planning, Economic Development, and International Cooperation, and they affirmed their steadfast commitment to advancing the Ministry’s role in achieving national objectives.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Planning and Economic Development – Egypt.

‘Will my child eat today? Will they even have any water?’ A mother’s plea to Farah; Olympic champion’s ‘awe’ at battles for survival after 43,000 deaths; Multimedia content can be downloaded here.

On a journey back to his birthplace, Save the Children ambassador Sir Mo Farah said it was heartbreaking to witness the devastating impact climate change is having on driving up child malnutrition rates in Somaliland. Farah also saw first-hand the vital care that is giving hope to families fighting for their children’s lives.  

The four-time Olympic gold medallist visited Gabiley in Somaliland where he spent his early years, meeting mothers and their children who were receiving treatment at a health centre run by Save the Children. 

There, mothers told him heart-wrenching stories of how recurring droughts and floods caused by climate change had made it difficult to feed their families. This has resulted in dangerously deteriorating health with nearly seven million people – or about 40% of the population – in need of humanitarian assistance.  

At a hospital in Gabiley, Farah, 41, met mothers with severely malnourished children who had travelled long distances to seek treatment. The mothers told Farah that these journeys were tough, with many forced to leave some of their children behind in order to secure care for others.  

Farah said: 

“It’s absolutely heartbreaking to see children in these conditions through no fault of their own. I can’t imagine having to leave any of my children behind to find treatment for another one – it’s an impossible choice. I’m in awe of the strength and determination of these mothers who will do anything for their children in such difficult circumstances.” 

Somalia is at the forefront of the climate crisis. Ranked as the second most vulnerable country to climate change, it has experienced back-to-back crises of increased droughts then flooding over the past few years.  

Prolonged droughts have destroyed crops and livestock, causing extreme food insecurity which, combined with conflict, has forced about 3.8 million people from their homes.   

Five consecutive failed rainy seasons have left four million people in Somalia facing acute food insecurity and almost two million children at risk of acute malnutrition. In 2022, 43,000 excess deaths are estimated to have occurred in Somalia because of the drought – half of which are likely to have been children under five.  

More recently, heavy rains and flash floods have affected 226,000 people in Somalia, two thirds of them children, while thousands of families have lost their livelihoods. 

In a village similar to the one Farah grew up in, he met Sabaad, a Save the Children community health worker who has become a lifeline for families and is creating lasting change for children who need it the most. Sabaad provides care for children in her village, making life-saving treatment easily accessible. Farah gained an insight into the critical nature of that treatment when he saw how she cared for a malnourished six-month-old boy, Hassan*. 

Farah, a father of four, said: 

“The work Sabaad is doing is so important. The community here love her, and I can see why. I spoke to some of the mothers Sabaad helped and they told me that without her, they don’t know if any of their children would be here today. 

“Some families shared with me the daily struggle they face to feed their children. It’s awful to hear that families haven’t eaten for days. Most of them told me they don’t know where their next meal will come from. They just want to put their children first, they’re not even thinking about themselves – they’re thinking, is my child going to eat today? Will they have clean water? Will they even have any water? One of the main reasons this is taking place is because of climate change, which seems to have only become worse over the last few years.” 

Sir Mo Farah has been a Save the Children Ambassador since January 2017. He generously donated £100,000 from the Mo Farah Foundation and helped launch Save the Children’s East Africa Food Crisis Appeal two months later, which raised more than £4.3 million. A dedicated family man of Somali heritage, he has spoken publicly about the drought and how malnutrition has affected children and families across Somalia and the region. Somaliland is a self-declared autonomous region of northwestern Somalia. 

Save the Children calls on the UK government and other high-income countries to take this opportunity to increase their climate funding for lower-income countries like Somalia which are bearing the burden of a crisis they did not create. The charity also urges donors to ensure that services preventing and treating malnutrition are well-funded. 

A UN appeal for US$1.6 billion for Somalia in 2024 is just 20% funded. 

Save the Children has worked in Somalia for more than 70 years and is a national and international leader in humanitarian and development programming in health, nutrition, water hygiene and sanitation, education, child protection and child rights governance. In 2023, Save the Children reached 4.7 million people in Somalia, including more than 2.47 million children. 

To help create a lasting change for children impacted by the climate crisis like those in East Africa, you can donate to Save the Children’s Emergency Fund here.  

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Save the Children.

The desperate plight of migrants and refugees tortured, trafficked and sold “at scale” in Libya took centre stage at the Human Rights Council in Geneva on Tuesday, where UN rights chief Volker Türk urged the international community to consider halting its agreement with the north African country on asylum seekers and migration.

“Trafficking, torture, forced labour, extortion, starvation in intolerable conditions of detention” are “perpetrated at scale…with impunity”, the High Commissioner for Human Rights told Member States.

“Mass expulsions, the sale of human beings, including children” are widespread in Libya, Mr. Türk continued, insisting that collusion between State and non-State actors was ongoing, with victims subject to “dehumanization”.

In a call to the Libyan authorities to investigate crimes against the many thousands of vulnerable people on the move, the High Commissioner also highlighted the discovery of a mass grave in March in southwest Libya containing the bodies of 65 presumed migrants.

“As if this were not horrific enough, we are following up on reports of another mass grave recently discovered in the desert area at the Libyan-Tunisian border… The loved ones of those who died have every right to know the truth,” he said. 

State of unrest

The High Commissioner also urged a review the longstanding arrangement between the European Union and the Libyan authorities tasked with intercepting migrants who attempt to cross the Mediterranean Sea to Europe. Independent rights experts and charities involved in search and rescue operations have frequently criticized the arrangement, citing alleged reckless behaviour by the Libyan Coast Guard, including firing at or near migrant vessels and ramming boats to make them capsize, before returning the survivors to Libya.

In the 12 months since April 2023, more than 2,400 people died or went missing trying to cross the Central Mediterranean Sea, of whom more than 1,300 departed from Libya, Mr. Türk noted.

“It is unconscionable that people in search of safety and dignity are suffering and dying in such unspeakable circumstances,” he insisted. “I remind all States of the collective responsibility under international law to save lives and prevent deaths at sea.”

Sahara perils

The High Commissioner also called for action to address the deaths “of so many migrants and refugees” heading to Libya via the Sahara Desert, following new estimates from the UN that twice as many migrants likely die trying to cross the sands than in the Mediterranean Sea.

Political strife the root cause

Just as those stark findings reflect the growing number of people attempting to make the Sahara crossing, pushed by new conflicts in the Sahel and Sudan, climate shocks and protracted emergencies in the East and Horn of Africa, the dangers for migrants and refugees in Libya come amid ongoing political instability and conflict that have divided the country since the overthrow of longtime President Muammar Gaddafi in 2011.

The “volatile security situation” also prevented UN rights monitors from fully accessing southern and eastern parts of the country, Mr. Türk continued, adding that investigators were also refused access to detention facilities and other locations across the country.

Extrajudicial killings

Highlighting a spike in “arbitrary arrests and detentions, enforced disappearances and detention-related violations” inside Libya, the UN rights chief also expressed concern about the continued targeting of political opponents and dissenting voices. “While the figure is likely to be higher and arrests continue, we have verified at least 60 cases of arbitrary detention of individuals who peacefully were exercising their right to express political views. In some cases, detention was followed by extra-judicial killing,” he said, insisting that the ongoing lack of accountability for “violations and abuses” committed in 2011 “remains one of the serious obstacles to reconciliation today and serves as a driver of conflict”.

Less than a year since Storm Daniel caused catastrophic flooding in the coastal city of Derna, killing thousands, Mr. Türk maintained that the country remained “plagued by deep insecurity”, while ordinary Libyans endured “economic hardship coupled with political exclusion”.

Remedying the situation is possible, the UN human rights chief insisted, as he called for a “rights-based, people-centred” transitional justice and reconciliation process, a sustainable political settlement, the restoration of the rule of law – including accountability for human rights violations – and unified, legitimate institutions.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of UN News.

Today, President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi received Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, CIA, William Burns. The meeting was also attended by Director of the General Intelligence Service, Major General Abbas Kamel.

The Spokesman for the Presidency, Counselor Ahmed Fahmy, said the CIA Director conveyed U.S. President Joe Biden’s greetings to President El-Sisi as well as his appreciation for the strategic partnership between the two countries. President El-Sisi confirmed the continuation of consultations and coordination between Egypt and the U.S. for the sake of regional and international security and stability.

The meeting focused on regional developments. Discussions tackled the latest in joint efforts to reach an agreement on a ceasefire and calm in the Gaza Strip. President El-Sisi confirmed Egypt’s firm position in rejection of the ongoing military operations in the sector. The President reiterated the importance for the international community to assume its responsibility to end the war, ensure unfettered access for humanitarian aid and relief into Gaza in adequate and sufficient quantities to mitigate the catastrophic humanitarian situation endured by the Palestinians in the sector. President El-Sisi emphasized the critical need to take earnest and effective steps to prevent the expansion of the geography of the conflict, stressing the inevitability of enforcing the two-state solution as part of a just and comprehensive settlement to the Palestinian issue.

Mr. Burns valued Egypt’s efforts to reach a ceasefire and ensure the delivery of humanitarian aid. He underscored his country’s appreciation of Egypt’s wise and responsible positions, which strongly push toward establishing peace, security and development, regionally and internationally.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Presidency of the Arab Republic of Egypt.