Egypt's Information and Decision Support Center, under the Cabinet, in cooperation with the UN Population Fund (UNFPA), recently organized a discussion session titled "Future Foresight and Demographic Dynamics: An Integrated Policy Framework". The session aimed to enhance strategic foresight capabilities and support proactive policy-making in the population sector. It brought together policymakers, experts, and specialists to foster dialogue and enhance the flexibility of national policies and strategies.
The session covered the links between demographic dynamics and strategic foresight, and their role in developing public policies and promoting proactive governance. It reviewed the impact of population variables on development paths and decision-making, as well as international and regional experiences in transitioning from demographic analysis to proactive governance. Key topics included the use of foresight tools and strategic intelligence to support government priorities.
Dr. Osama El-Gohary, Assistant to the Prime Minister and Head of the Information and Decision Support Center, highlighted the importance of the event as a significant milestone in the cooperation between the Center and the UN Population Fund. He noted that the cooperation comes at a time when there is a growing need to develop new policy-making models based on proactivity, flexibility, and the ability to deal with accelerating global changes.
Dr. El-Gohary also mentioned that the Egyptian state has launched the National Population and Development Strategy 2023-2030, which aims to achieve a balance between population growth and available resources. The strategy seeks to improve population characteristics as a foundation for sustainable development and enhance the governance of the population file through supporting the role of population units in governorates.
Germaine Haddad, UN Population Fund representative in Egypt, emphasized the Fund's keenness to cooperate with the Egyptian state in responding to demographic changes and their impact on development paths in Egypt. She noted that the Fund's strategic plan for 2026-2029 focuses on adapting to demographic changes and enhancing community resilience.
The session included presentations, including one by Dr. Maged Othman, former Minister of Communications and Information Technology and founder of the Egyptian Center for Public Opinion Research "Basira", on the future of Egypt's population. Dr. Othman discussed levels and patterns of fertility, internal and external migration, and the importance of foresight in population policy.
The session also featured presentations by Dr. Nahla El-Sebaei, Head of the Central Administration for Decision Support at the Information and Decision Support Center, and Dr. Doult Shakeri, Population and Development Programs Officer at the UN Population Fund. They discussed the importance of foresight in supporting government decision-making and its application in facing uncertainty.
Key points
- The Egyptian government is working to enhance its strategic foresight capabilities in the population sector.
- The UN Population Fund is cooperating with Egypt to support proactive policy-making in the population sector.
- The National Population and Development Strategy 2023-2030 aims to achieve a balance between population growth and available resources in Egypt.
