Minister Rania Al-Mashat of Egypt Appointed as UN Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of ESCWA by the United Nations

Cairo 21 April 2026:

Today, the United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres announced the appointment of Egypt’s former Minister Rania A. Al-Mashat, as the next UN Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA).

Al-Mashat is an international expert in economic diplomacy, bringing over 25 years of experience in macroeconomic policy,central banking and monetary policy frameworks, sustainable economic and social development, structural and institutional reform, development cooperation, development and climate finance, driving climate action and gender equality, and championing international cooperation and partnerships.

As the new UN Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary ESCWA, Al-Mashat is an internationally recognized expert in development finance and multilateral cooperation, Al-Mashat has worked at the intersection of policy, finance, and global partnerships, and is widely acknowledged for advancing innovative, country-led development frameworks and fostering effective multi-stakeholder engagement to drive sustainable and inclusive growth.

She served for eight consecutive years (2018-2026) as Minister across three key portfolios: Tourism (first female), International Cooperation, and Planning, Economic Development andInternational Cooperation. Prior to her ministerial appointments, she also served as Sub-Governor for Monetary Policy at the Central Bank of Egypt and as Advisor to the Chief Economist at the International Monetarty Fund in Washington, D.C.

Al-Mashat’s appointment to this high-level UN position comes at a critical global moment with significant economic implications, particularly for member states. The ongoing war poses monumental challenges and severe impacts on energy markets, trade, and supply chains, with far-reaching consequences for economic and social strategies and plans. In this context, ESCWA is expected to play a vital role in supporting member states in formulating urgent economic and social policies to address immediate and medium-term challenges, while also promoting regional cooperation.

Her academic contributions, including publications with the IMF and the London School of Economics, reflect her commitment to bridging policy, research, and practice.

Al-Mashat holds a PhD and MA in Economics from the University of Maryland, College Park, USA, and a BA in Economics from the American University in Cairo, Egypt. She has also completed executive education programs in Leadership and Public Policy from the Harvard Kennedy School, USA and Transformational Leadership from Oxford University’s Saïd Business School, United Kingdom.

About the UN ESCWA

The United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (UN-ESCWA) is one of five UN regional commissions, which are located in Beirut, Addis Ababa, Bangkok, Geneva and Santiago. The commissions are unique intergovernmental platforms for advancing regional integration, developing regional norms and standards, exchanging experience and fostering cooperation. They play a critical role in promoting a holistic approach to development in their regions, and balancing the economic, social and environmental dimensions of sustainable development in their member States.

Headquartered in Beirut, Lebanon, the UN ESCWA functions to foster economic and social development, regional and sub-regional cooperation, and integration among 21 member states. all from the regions of the Middle East and North Africa.

ESCWA works closely with the divisions of the Headquarters in New York and United Nations specialized agencies, as well as with international and regional organizations; The League of Arab States, the Gulf Cooperation Council and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation are among its regional partners.

To enhance regional cooperation and development, ESCWA has several key committees, namely: Committee on Social Development, Committee on Economic and Financial Issues, Committee on Statistics, Committee on Transport, Committee on Energy, Committee on Water Resources.

ESCWA also organizes the UN Regional Collaborative Platform (RCP) through the joint secretariat along with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the United Nations Development Coordination Office.

ESCWA provides member states with support in areas of economic and social policy, primarily, inclusive development, macroeconomics, debt and fiscal policy, climate change, natural resource sustainability, gender equality, trade & regional connectivity, technology & innovation, population dynamics and migration, future of employment, statistics, financing for development, conflict prevention and the 2030 agenda. It supports economic and social policies, capacity building, technical advice, and strengthens regional cooperation.

ESCWA was established in 1973 and its member states are Bahrain, Djibouti, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, Yemen, Algeria.

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