The UN Assistant Secretary-General met with top officials and CEOs to push climate action, support women in leadership, and strengthen Egypt’s private sector competitiveness.
Egypt’s private sector is taking center stage in the push for a greener, more sustainable economy, and the UN is taking notice. Sanda Ojiambo, Assistant Secretary-General and CEO of the UN Global Compact, just wrapped up an official visit to Cairo designed to rally local business leaders, policymakers, and young changemakers around sustainable growth and climate action.
Hosted by the United Nations Global Compact Network Egypt (UNGCNE), Ojiambo’s visit focused on translating corporate commitments into real-world impact. High on the agenda was a sit-down with Minister of Planning and Economic Development Dr. Ahmed Rostom to discuss aligning private sector growth with Egypt’s Vision 2030, particularly through boosting the local startup and entrepreneurship ecosystem.
Ojiambo also joined a High-Level CEO Roundtable tackling how Egyptian businesses can navigate global economic headwinds. The consensus was clear: embedding green energy, sustainable finance, and responsible practices isn’t just good for the planet, it is essential for keeping Egyptian companies competitive on the global stage.
Beyond corporate boardrooms, the visit put a strong emphasis on empowerment and education. Ojiambo opened the second cohort of Bloom with Purpose, UNGCNE’s fully funded women’s leadership program, and dropped by Responsible Management Education Week 2026 at AUC’s Onsi Sawiris School of Business to speak directly with the next generation of business leaders.
With over 100 local companies now part of the UNGC Network Egypt, the visit made one thing obvious: sustainability is no longer a side project for local businesses, it is becoming core strategy.
