Ayman Okeil Re-nominated as North Africa Coordinator of the NGOs Major Groups Africa

The NGO Major Groups affiliated with the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA) has re-nominated Ayman Okeil as North Africa Coordinator for a new three-year term, reflecting confidence in his efforts to strengthen the engagement of CSOs in SDGs issues at both the regional and international levels. This was via Zoom on Thursday, May 7, 2026.

During the meeting marking the beginning of his new term, Okeil affirmed that the upcoming phase will focus on promoting the work and activities of the NMGA among CSOs across North Africa, in addition to raising awareness of the SDGs and mechanisms for effective participation in their implementation. He noted that these efforts aim to broaden community participation in advancing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development across the African continent.

Okeil also stated that, in his capacity as deputy presiding officer of the Economic, Social and Cultural Council of the African Union, he will work during the coming period to build an institutional and coordination partnership between the African ECOSOCC and the United Nations Economic and Social Council (UN ECOSOC), in a way that enhances the presence of African CSOs within international platforms concerned with SDGs and human rights.

He further stressed the importance of engaging CSOs in Africa in general, and North Africa in particular, in the work of the High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development, emphasizing the need to support their participation in Voluntary National Reviews (VNRs) related to the implementation of the SDGs, as one of the key mechanisms for enhancing transparency, exchanging experiences, and supporting African countries’ efforts toward comprehensive and sustainable development.

Okeil added that strengthening the role of civil society in monitoring the implementation of the SDGs represents one of the key pillars for achieving inclusive and equitable development, especially in light of the economic, social, and environmental challenges facing the African continent.

It is worth noting that Ayman Okeil previously served as Chair of the NGOs Major Groups – Africa during the period 2018–2019, and continued to serve as the North Africa Coordinator of the NMGA until 2025, before being re-nominated for an additional three-year term.