Minister of Youth and Sports, Dr. Ashraf Sobhy, led the Egyptian delegation participating in the activities of the ECOSOC Economic Youth Forum, which held under the title "empowering, Integrating and Equality of Youth". The Forum discussing a number of topics, including "Economic Growth and Decent Work - Good Education - Reducing Inequality - Issues of Peace, Security and Justice - Climate Issues - The Role of Youth Institutions and Maximizing their Participation in Achieving Development Goals".

 During his speech at the opening session of the Forum, Dr. Ashraf Sobhy said that youth is the most important partner that has to be involved in designing, monitoring, reviewing and implementing the strategy, as Egypt has a wide youth demographic base with about 65% percent of its population, a percent that can’t be neglected, therefore empowering and investing in young people is on the top priorities of his Excellency president of Egypt.

 Sobhy stressed that the Egyptian Ministry of Youth and Sports has taken many majors and initiatives to ensure the full participation of the Egyptian youth and to enhance their empowerment in the political, social, cultural and economic fields in line with the country's continues support to the rule of youth and their capabilities in a positive way, For example: training projects to prepare the Egyptian youth to cover the basic job requirements and needs and to act professionally in the work environment using the latest technology and tools to perform the assigned jobs.

 The minister of youth and sports declared that the Ministry has launched a campaign entitled “develop and change” aims to bridge the skills gap in the Egyptian labor market by training and empowering Egyptian for youth force industries revolution jobs, beside empowerment of young people in youth centers and sports club by electing a "QOUTA" of at least five out of eight members under the age of forty on board of directors as a provided by the states.

 Sobhy added that Egypt already has about 4260 youth centers that target the age of 9 to 40 and providing sports culture, Political and social focus program, also launched an initiative to empower young women for the labor market in many youth centers initiatives which target young women between the age of 18 and 35, and the Ministry also has launched the first phase of national youth matrix, which is an outlined platform that indicated all the programs and plans of the ministry so that youth are just one click way from easier access.

 On the sidelines of the opening session, Dr. Ashraf Sobhy, held an interactive session on youth as the main focus of Sustainable Development Goals in Egypt. He presented the activities of the Ministry, which support the economic empowerment of young people, access to decent work, promotion of community and political participation and the development of the spirit of volunteerism, to achieve the aims of sustainable development.