Egypt Showcases Economic Empowerment Experience at Workshop in Rabat

Economic Empowerment Workshop.

The Egyptian Ministry of Social Solidarity participated in a peer exchange workshop focused on economic empowerment, which aims to transition beneficiaries from social assistance to social insurance. This event took place in Rabat, Morocco, and was organized by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) in collaboration with the German Agency for International Cooperation.

Representing the Ministry of Social Solidarity, Raafat Shafiq, Assistant Minister for Social Protection and Programs Supporting Safety Nets and Economic Empowerment, presented Egypt’s experience in the field of social protection and economic empowerment.

During the sessions, Shafiq highlighted the Ministry’s efforts in enhancing economic empowerment programs for beneficiaries of the “Takaful and Karama” cash support program. These initiatives aim to assist families in moving from cash support to formal employment and social insurance coverage.

Efforts include microfinance programs, small loans, asset transfers, integrating informal workers into social protection systems, linking beneficiaries with job opportunities, and utilizing technology and artificial intelligence to support social protection policies and economic integration for vulnerable groups, particularly women, youth, and informal workers.

Shafiq also discussed the strategic financial system for economic empowerment established by the Ministry in collaboration with 34 entities. This framework aims to provide comprehensive support that combines social assistance with financial and non-financial services. It ensures training opportunities and sustainable projects that foster economic independence for at-risk families while promoting a gradual transition from receiving social assistance to economic empowerment backed by sustainable social insurance systems.

The workshop featured exchanges of experiences among participating Arab and African countries regarding skill gap analysis. Representatives from Morocco, Egypt, Jordan, Tunisia, Ghana, and Azerbaijan attended alongside various international organizations such as ESCWA, the German Agency for International Cooperation, UNICEF, and the International Labour Organization.