Minister of International Cooperation Rania Al-Mashat has presented a New Global Partnerships Narrative that tries to combat the effect of the coronavirus on the current development efforts as not to derail the achieving of the Social Development Goals (SDGs.)

This follows the UN’s concerns that the complete focus going towards combating the virus and overlooking the SDGs may cause negative impact on the goals, after the alleviation of the pandemic.

The presentation of the narrative was held via a video conference meeting headed by minister Mashat, over 100 professionals including heads of country offices, development professionals from bilateral partners and multilateral development organizations joined.

They all took part in order to discuss potential chances for the advancement of future mutual economic cooperation and the consequences of the spread of novel corona virus.

Al-Mashat unveiled the New Global Partnerships Narrative during the meeting, the narrative P&P&P (People&Projects&Purpose), that shall define cooperation between Egypt and the international development community.

The minister also discussed Egypt’s efforts in promoting structural reforms and economic stimulation in addition to financial inclusion which all serve achieving the Social Development Goals.

Al-Mashat further highlighted the ministry’s new vision in reshaping the strategic communication narrative that really defined the development initiatives of Egypt.

The new narrative will highlight three pillars which are People at the Core, projects in action and purpose as the driver, all will focus on the development cooperation to achieve SDGs which is priority on all sectors.

Ancient paintings have been discovered inside a coffin of a 3,000 year-old Egyptian mummy called Ta-Kr-Hb, the discovery was made by a group of Scottish conservators.

The Scottish conservators made the incredible discovery during the conservation work of Ta-Kr-Hb, pronounced ‘takerheb’, which is believed to be a priestess or princess from Thebes.

The discovery was made after the body was lifted out of the tomb for the first time in over 100 years, excessive work was required to make sue that the mummy’s condition doesn’t deteriorate even more.

Conservators found painted figures of an Egyptian goddess on both the internal and external bases of Ta-Kr-Hb’s coffin.

‘’It was a great surprise to see these paintings appear. We had never had a reason to lift the whole thing so high that we could see the underneath of the trough and had never lifted the mummy out before and didn’t expect to see anything there’’ Dr Mark Hall, collections officer at Perth Museum and Art Gallery said.

“The key thing we wanted to achieve was to stabilize the body so it didn’t deteriorate any more so it has been re-wrapped and then we wanted to stabilize the trough and upper part of the coffin which we’ve done.” He added.

President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi announced yesterday the postponement of the launch of mega-projects including the Grand Egyptian Museum and moving civil servants to the new administrative capital.

Both projects have been pushed to next year due to the novel coronavirus outbreak, the presidency said in a statement.

The decision was “due to the circumstances and repercussions of the process of combating the spread of the new Coronavirus either at the national level or globally,” it added.

The statement following Sisi’s meeting with Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly, Housing Minister Assem al-Gazzar and the President’s Adviser for Urban Planning.

During which they went over an action plan for the future of current construction sites, in light of the coronavirus outbreak that has been slowing down the process.

President Sisi has also ordered for highest levels of prevention to be provided, in order to maintain the safety and well-being of workers at construction sites.

Egypt’s most anticipated project the Grand Egyptian Museum was scheduled to be open later this year, while the first group of civil servants were set to be transferred to the government district in the new administrative capital this upcoming June.

This sure comes as a shock to all of us and a great disappointment, but let’s try and stay positive that this outbreak shall soon come to an end.