Good Morning,

I would like to welcome Engineer Hoda Dahroug (Head of the Central Administration for Community Development in the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, and the Regional Director of the Egypt Information and Communication Technology Trust Fund (ICT-TF).

I would also like to welcome Ms. Abeer Al-Sahib (Director of the Grants and Civil Society Division in the German Agency for International Cooperation GIZ).

I also welcome all those present and thank you for participating in this closing ceremony to reward the success of the “Decent Work for Youth in Qalyubia using Information and Communications Technology” Project with our partners: The Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, the Egypt Information and Communication Technology Trust Fund (ICT-TF) and the German Agency for International Cooperation.

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has been always proud of its long partnership with the Egyptian Ministry of Communications and Information Technology. We are proud of the achievements we have made over the years in supporting development through enhancing the role of Information and Communications Technology. The most important result of this partnership is the of the Egypt Information and Communication Technology Trust Fund, through which the idea of community development using information and communications technology crystalized into real achievements in reality.

UNDP has always worked with its partners to support the institutions, improve their services and build the capacity of their working group in order to achieve sustainable development in all the different sectors and areas in the society, which are in line with the Sustainable Development Goals and Egypt Vision 2030. This is represented in a unique way in this project. In cooperation with the ICT-Trust Fund and with the funding of the GIZ, this project was launched to help overcome unemployment and the inadequate qualifications with the employment level to increase the income of Egyptian youth in informal settlements in Qalubia Governorate, particularly in the neighborhoods of Shubra al-Khaymah and Qaliub.

After conducting a study and analysis of the market requirements, cooperation and coordination with local associations, developing training curricula, preparing trainers, awareness sessions and training of young beneficiaries, after a period of 14 months, we succeeded in achieving a lot.

This is just a beginning; the start of developing the informal business sector, supporting youth and developing their skills through using Information and Communications Technology. And most importantly is the creation and provision of decent work to suit their qualifications and abilities.

I hope that we will work with more young people in more regions and this will only happen by creating more partnerships, working together and unifying our efforts to see the future we all want to live in.

Thank you all.