The Population Conference reviews local governance in "Application, migration and climate change"
The Ministry of Health and Population organized a dialogue session entitled: “Local governance in application, migration, resilience to climate change, and hopeful development in a changing world.” In cooperation with the Ministry of Local Development, as part of the activities of the World Conference on Population, Health and Human Development, held in its third edition under the slogan “Empowering Individuals… Promoting Progress… Providing Opportunities”. It will be held during the period from November 12 to 15, 2025, under the patronage of President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi.
Dr. Manal Awad, Minister of Local Development and Acting Minister of the Environment, welcomed the participants in the session “Local Governance in Action: Migration, Climate Resilience, and Comprehensive Development in a Changing World,” stressing the importance of integration between humans, environment, and development within one integrated framework.
This came during the speech in which It was delivered by Dr. Naglaa Al-Adly, Supervisor of the General Administration of International Cooperation and Agreements, on behalf of the Minister of Local Development.
Dr. Naglaa Al-Adly indicated that migration, population growth, climate change, and public health are not separate issues, but rather interconnected episodes that affect the sustainability of development and quality of life, which requires an integrated local approach based on good governance, comprehensive planning, and effective community participation, while enhancing the governorates’ capabilities in planning, implementation, and accountability in cooperation with development partners. Local and international.
It also reviewed successful models of local development, including the development program in Upper Egypt and the “Hayna” project. In Damietta and Qena, which integrated migration and climate action into local planning to enhance social cohesion and the ability to withstand environmental risks.
Al-Adly stressed that these experiences confirm that comprehensive development begins with local administration, as the level closest to the citizen, with the importance of supporting international partners to transfer expertise and build capabilities, to ensure the achievement of fair and sustainable development based on community participation, and puts the citizen at the heart of the development and environmental process.
Dr. Hossam Abdel Ghaffar explained, The official spokesman for the Ministry of Health and Population said that the session dealt with models of integrated local government in Damietta and Qena, and reviewed decentralized programs and their role in improving public services, enhancing infrastructure, and providing job opportunities, with a focus on urban resilience and confronting climate risks. The session was moderated by Dr. Hisham Al-Helbawy, Assistant Minister for National Projects and Director of the Local Development Program in Upper Egypt, with the participation of the governors of Damietta and Qena and representatives of United Nations programs.
For his part, Dr. Khaled reviewed Abdel Halim, Governor of Qena, described the governorate’s experience since 2016, as the governorate benefited from the development program, and the program created about 61 thousand job opportunities, in addition to developing manual and agricultural clusters, improving economic services, infrastructure and roads, and developing urban areas and the Nile River. He stressed that the program contributed to reducing rates of poverty, unemployment and illiteracy, improving reproductive health, and geographical access to services to ensure that all residents benefit equally, stressing that sustainable development begins from the citizen to the state, and from the village to the major cities, and that the integration of efforts Health, environment, and local development represent the best way to achieve a sustainable future for all governorates.
The session also witnessed a review of successful experiences at the governorate level, where Dr. Ayman Al-Shehabi, Governor of Damietta, confirmed that the governorate is an important tourist destination thanks to the water spaces and beaches, noting the need to focus on the climate adaptation project, improving infrastructure, monitoring sea water levels, and developing an emergency system to confront floods and natural disasters, in addition to strengthening social services to identify the most vulnerable groups. for risks.
