Dr. Dahlia El-Hawary, GAFI Deputy CEO, participated in the opening session of the official launch celebration of the Fair Share Program held in Cairo on December 3, 2025. The program was organized by UN Women and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), in partnership with the Government of Canada and several Egyptian government institutions.
In her opening remarks, Dr. El-Hawary emphasized that Egypt's selection to host this event reflects the country's commitment to developing more sustainable and competitive supply chains and expanding women's participation in economic activity, recognizing their essential role in boosting productivity and modernizing the national economic structure.
Dr. Dahlia emphasized that hosting this international event reflects confidence in Egyptian Egypt ability to lead a genuine transformation towards more sustainable and competitive supply chains, and to enhance women's participation as a key driver of productivity growth and economic restructuring.
Dr. El-Hawary noted that the Fair Share Program represents an important step toward enhancing transparency in supply chains, building companies’ capacities, and supporting green production practices in line with global sustainability standards and environmental, social, and governance (ESG) requirements. She also highlighted that the program reflects an effective partnership between international organizations and the Egyptian government to achieve inclusive economic growth that expands employment opportunities and increases the participation of women, youth, and small entrepreneurs.
During her speech, Dr. Dahlia highlighted the pivotal role played by the General Authority for Investment and Free Zones (GAFI) in promoting an investment environment based on quality and sustainability, pointing out that Investment Law No. 72 of 2017 marked a turning point in investment methodology, focusing on supporting responsible investment and encouraging companies to adopt sustainable policies.
She also reviewed the efforts of GAFI's Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Department since its establishment in 2019, which included building the capacities of companies, contributing to the development of the National CSR Strategy, launching the Sustainable Development Excellence Award, issuing GAFI's first sustainability and carbon footprint reports, and integrating more than 30 development projects into the investment map to broaden private sector participation in national development priorities.
Dr. Dahlia highlighted the active role of GAFI’s Equal Opportunities Unit in supporting an inclusive work environment and strengthening institutional partnerships with national and international bodies to promote equal economic opportunities. She noted a series of joint initiatives with UN Women, including workshops on the principles of women's empowerment, training-of-trainers programs, and events held in Cairo and Upper Egypt, as well as a national conference on investment and women's empowerment.
GAFI also cooperated with UNIDO on several projects, including TIGARA project to support companies' export readiness and promote gender-responsive industrial policies. In addition, GAFI worked with the National Council for Women to promote the implementation of the Gender Equality Seal, along with health initiatives in cooperation with the Ministry of Health and Baheya Foundation to support working women and cancer survivors.
Dr. El-Hawary added that Egypt continues to align its investment policies with international standards, as GAFI reactivated the national contact point for the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises to promote responsible business conduct. GAFI also participates in the ministerial committee responsible for implementing the International Labor Organization Declaration supporting fair and responsible labor practices. She stressed that these international frameworks provide a solid foundation for programs such as Fair Share, which place inclusiveness and sustainability at the core of supply chain.
She explained that the new program builds upon the successes of the "Rabeha" Program, implemented by UNIDO in collaboration with UN Women, but is now expanding to operate on a broader national scale with the aim of enhancing local value and increasing opportunities for women's economic empowerment across various supply chains. She emphasized UNIDO's commitment to translating the program's objectives into tangible results that support business growth, create new job opportunities, and boost exports, thereby enhancing the competitiveness of the Egyptian economy.
In closing, Dr. Dahlia affirmed that Egypt's Vision 2030 aims to strengthen the role of the private sector and increase women's participation in economic activity, and that achieving this vision requires strong partnerships between the government, international institutions, and the private sector.
