The Minister for Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation, José Manuel Albares, together with Egypt’s Minister of Planning, Economic Development and International Cooperation, Rania Al-Mashat, signed the 2025-2030 Spain-Egypt Sustainable Development Alliance, a joint agreement setting out the priorities of Spanish cooperation in that country over the coming years. The initiatives will focus on strengthening public institutions, responding to growing social demands, addressing the climate emergency, and promoting inclusive economic development.
“Today we are taking a decisive step towards the future with the signing of the Alliance for Sustainable Development. This agreement not only consolidates our current commitments but also charts the path to facing future challenges together and provides a benchmark model for the world of cooperation”, said Albares.
The signing, which took place in Cairo during the State Visit of Their Majesties the King and Queen to Egypt, comes at a particularly positive moment in bilateral relations between the two countries, just six months after the relationship was elevated to the level of Strategic Partnership during the Egyptian President’s visit to Madrid last February.
Priority country
Egypt is also a priority country for Spanish cooperation, with the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation disbursements increasing from €2.6 million in 2022 to €4.8 million in 2024. It is expected that, with the signing of the alliance, aid will maintain its upward trend.
The 2025-2030 Spain-Egypt Alliance for Sustainable Development is structured around the three transitions —social, ecological, and economic— set out in the 2024-27 Master Plan, which include priorities aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals of the 2030 Agenda. In this regard, the alliance will focus on sectors and initiatives that contribute to the triple transition, while exploring opportunities for financial, technical, and triangular cooperation.
“Over the coming years, we will work hand in hand with Egyptian institutions to strengthen public services, create employment, combat climate change through rural development, improve water management, and protect natural spaces. In addition, we will promote gender equality, advancing women’s rights and ensuring their full participation in all areas,” the Minister explained.
Strategic partnerships
The strategic partnerships envisaged under the new Law on Cooperation for Sustainable Development and Global Solidarity represent a new planning instrument with a solutions-oriented approach at regional or global scale. Their aim is to bring together efforts with the countries concerned to promote global and regional public goods, and to work on shared priorities such as equality, care systems, employment, social cohesion, and sustainable production, guided by their joint commitment to promoting and defending human rights, multilateralism, and democracy.
The first Alliance for Sustainable Development was signed last July with Uruguay, during the official visit of the President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, to the country. Following today’s signing with Egypt, work is already underway to establish a new alliance with Panama.
Alliances are built on mutual commitment, aiming to make a joint contribution to shared priorities. They are the result of a collaborative process in which the Foreign Ministries of the respective countries, together with their cooperation agencies, work alongside public institutions, civil society, universities, and the private sector to advance cooperation beyond traditional formulas.
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—NON OFFICIAL TRANSLATION—