Egypt’s Rania Al-Mashat sworn in as ESCWA Executive Secretary

NEW YORK – 20 June 2026: Rania Al-Mashat, Egypt’s former minister of international cooperation, took the oath on Saturday before UN Secretary-General António Guterres, formally assuming her role as Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of the UN Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA).

At the UN headquarters, Al-Mashat reaffirmed her commitment to serving the Arab region at a time marked by significant political, security and development challenges, according to a statement by ESCWA.

“I join today 21 member states in ESCWA, each with its own priorities and circumstances, yet sharing common challenges and opportunities,” Al-Mashat said after the swearing-in ceremony.

She vowed to “lead this mission at ESCWA from the heart of the region I serve, placing human dignity at the core of development, and youth at the centre of opportunity.”

She also expressed gratitude to the UN chief and ESCWA member states for their confidence in her appointment.

 

Al-Mashat brings more than two decades of international experience spanning central banking, monetary policy, financial systems, international cooperation, sustainable development and climate finance.

She served as Minister of Tourism from January 2018 to December 2019, then as Minister of International Cooperation from December 2019 to July 2024, before taking on the role of Minister of Planning, Economic Development and International Cooperation until February 2026.

Prior to joining the cabinet, Al-Mashat worked at the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in Washington, where she served as Senior Economist from 2001 to 2005, and later as Advisor to the Chief Economist from August 2016 to January 2018.

Between her IMF roles, she served at the Central Bank of Egypt from 2005 to 2016 as Sub-Governor for Monetary Policy.

She also contributed to macroeconomic policy coordination across government institutions and acted as a liaison between the Central Bank of Egypt, the IMF and international credit rating agencies.

Al-Mashat holds a range of advisory and board positions across international organisations and think tanks, being part of the UNICEF’s Generation Unlimited (GenU). She has been a founding member of initiatives including the Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet (GEAPP) and the World Economic Forum’s Resilience Consortium.