CAIRO - 2 June 2026: Rania Al-Mashat has officially assumed her duties as Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations and Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) at the commission headquarters in Beirut.
An official reception ceremony attended by senior officials and staff marked the commencement of her term, following her appointment by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.
Al-Mashat takes leadership of the regional commission during a critical global and regional climate, marked by ongoing conflict in the Middle East that has strained energy markets, global trade, and supply chains.
Her tenure coincides with structural transformations within the United Nations driven by the UN80 modernization initiative, which aims to update UN structures and operations for twentieth-first-century challenges.
"ESCWA will work to support national policies of member states to consolidate comprehensive development methodologies, linking them with regional benefits to expand areas of joint cooperation," Al-Mashat said in a Tuesday statement, adding that the commission will actively build alliances with regional and international think tanks.
An international expert in economic diplomacy with over 25 years of experience, Al-Mashat previously held three ministerial portfolios over eight years in the Egyptian government, serving as minister of tourism, minister of international cooperation, and minister of planning, economic development and international cooperation.
Her career also includes serving as an advisor to the chief economist of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in Washington and deputy governor of the Central Bank of Egypt for monetary policy.
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