As Prepared for Delivery

Excellency Dr. Ahmed Kouchouk, Minister of Finance, 

Excellency Dr. Amr Lashin, Governor of Aswan, 

Distinguished representatives of the Government of Egypt, 

Colleagues from Aswan Governorate and local institutions, 

Ladies and gentlemen, 

It is a great pleasure to be with you today. I would like to begin by expressing our appreciation to H.E. the Minister of Finance, H.E. the Governor of Aswan and the Ministry of Finance’s Social Justice Unit, for their leadership and for bringing this important conversation to the local level. 

What we are discussing today, is not only about policies and budgets. It is ultimately about how public resources translate into better protection, better services, and better opportunities for people. 

National policies establish the direction. National budgets provide key resources. But it is at the local level that it becomes real for people, through access to social services, including health and education, support for vulnerable households, employment opportunities, and the ability to withstand economic and social shocks. 

And this is why I am particularly pleased that we have so many participants who have been able to join us all the way from Aswan.  

Public finance is not just about how much we spend; it is about how we spend.   

Are resources reaching the people and places where needs are greatest?  

Are they being allocated on the basis of evidence?  

Are we achieving the greatest possible social impact from every pound of public expenditure?  

And are we able to measure clearly, who benefits from public spending — including women, young people, persons with disabilities and other groups who may face additional barriers? 

These are fundamentally questions of public finance, governance and development effectiveness.  And this is where we - as UNDP - believe we can bring value.   

UNDP has emphasized the importance of integrated approaches that connect local priorities with different sources of public, private and development finance, while strengthening the capacity of local institutions to manage and use those resources effectively. 

The focus of this workshop is social protection and public finance.   

Social protection is an investment in people. It protects households from shocks, but it can also support human capital, productivity and inclusive economic development. Its impact depends not only on the design of national programmes, but also on how effectively they are implemented and connected to local realities - using local data, local knowledge and local institutions to improve implementation, identify gaps and make spending more responsive. 

Fiscal policy is not gender-neutral, and public finance is not distribution-neutral. 

The way governments raise revenues, allocate budgets and deliver public services can affect different groups of people in different ways. This means that when we look at public expenditure, we need to look beyond the aggregate amount and ask: Who benefits and who is left behind? Can we design public finance in ways that strengthen equality and economic opportunity for all? 

Aswan 2040 provides a strong framework for connecting local priorities with planning, investment and public services. It recognizes Aswan’s distinctive potential in areas such as renewable energy, tourism and agriculture, while also emphasizing stronger infrastructure, public services and local institutions that respond to the needs of local communities. 

The challenge before us is threefold:  

How can we finance more strategically to ensure that resources are available, predictable and aligned with development priorities?  

How can we improve effectiveness to ensure that the resources reach the right people, address the priority needs, and delivers value for money? 

How can we promote equity, to ensure that the benefits of public investment and social spending are shared fairly, and that fiscal choices contribute to reducing, rather than reproducing, inequalities? 

Today’s discussion between national and local actors is very important. The Ministry of Finance brings the critical perspective on fiscal space, public expenditure and resource allocation; the Governorate brings the reality of implementation and local priorities; and practitioners, communities and development partners bring evidence and experience on what works. 

Bringing these perspectives together is how we move from policy to implementation, and from expenditure to impact. 

I look forward to the practical ideas and partnerships that can emerge from today’s discussion - so we can ensure that every resource mobilized and spent has the greatest possible positive and lasting impact for the people and communities we serve. 

Thank you, and I wish you a very productive discussion.