Egypt, UNESCO discuss expanding cooperation in inclusive sport, youth empowerment

Minister of Youth and Sports Gohar Nabil met on Monday, October 12, 2026, with Paul Koster, UNESCO Regional Director for Cairo and director of the UN agency’s liaison office to the Arab League, as they discussed ways to strengthen cooperation in several priority areas, particularly sport for development, social inclusion, youth empowerment and digital skills development.

The meeting comes as the Ministry of Youth and Sports seeks to strengthen its international partnerships and leverage available expertise and resources to support Egyptian youth, develop sport practice and reinforce the role of sport in human development and sustainable development.

The talks explored opportunities to build on the existing cooperation between the ministry and UNESCO and develop joint programs and initiatives that use sport as a tool for sustainable development, promote community participation and expand access to sports and youth activities, in line with the Sustainable Development Goals and Egypt’s priorities for investing in people and building young people’s capacities.

Nabil stressed that his ministry attaches great importance to cooperation with international organizations and benefiting from their expertise in developing youth and sportive programs and initiatives.

Such cooperation will help broaden participation in sport, strengthen sport’s contribution to community development and promote the values of participation, tolerance and equal opportunities, he said.

He highlighted the importance of building on existing cooperation with UNESCO and developing joint projects with tangible impact, particularly in inclusive sport, empowering persons with disabilities, developing youth skills and supporting digital innovation.

He also stressed the need to align proposed initiatives with young people’s actual needs and establish clear mechanisms for implementation and follow-up.

For his part, Koster underscored the importance of strengthening cooperation with the Ministry of Youth and Sports in areas that expand opportunities for young people to participate in development and use sport to promote social inclusion and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.