Latest news with #Fouad
Daily News Egypt
13 hours ago
- Politics
- Daily News Egypt
Egypt advances environmental cooperation in Africa at AMCEN summit
Egypt reaffirmed its leadership in shaping Africa's environmental agenda during the 20th African Ministerial Conference on the Environment (AMCEN), held in Nairobi from 14–18 July 2025. Environment Minister Yasmine Fouad headed Egypt's delegation, using the forum to strengthen bilateral partnerships and advocate for climate resilience and sustainable development across the continent. On the sidelines of the summit, Fouad met with Somalia's Minister of Environment and Climate Change, General Bashir Jama, to explore cooperation in climate change adaptation, combating desertification, and building institutional capacity. Fouad reiterated Egypt's commitment to supporting Somalia and other African countries in addressing shared environmental challenges. Jama praised Egypt's leadership during COP27 and welcomed the proposal to sign a new memorandum of understanding aimed at launching joint projects and introducing sustainable technologies. In a separate high-level meeting, Fouad met with Ambassador Luis Vayas, Chair of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee on Plastic Pollution. She highlighted the urgent need to develop a binding international treaty to tackle plastic waste and pollution. Fouad pointed to Egypt's national progress, including the adoption of extended producer responsibility (EPR) for plastic bags, and stressed the importance of establishing an intergovernmental process backed by independent financing mechanisms to secure treaty effectiveness. Fouad also held discussions with EU Commissioner for the Environment Jessica Roswall on topics including water and food security, as well as plastic pollution. She emphasised AMCEN's critical role in uniting African nations through collective dialogue and joint action to address environmental challenges. Reflecting on the history of AMCEN, founded in Cairo in 1985 by Mostafa Kamal Tolba, Fouad described it as one of Africa's most influential platforms for shaping environmental policy. In her official address to AMCEN, Fouad looked back on four decades of African resilience and progress in environmental protection. She underscored Egypt's own contributions, including updated Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), projects to protect natural resources, and promotion of the circular economy. Fouad called for fair and accessible international climate finance—particularly for adaptation—and urged greater alignment among the three Rio Conventions on climate change, biodiversity, and desertification. She also voiced hope that the ongoing Geneva negotiations on a global plastic treaty would produce consensus that recognises different national contexts and socioeconomic realities. Egypt, she said, will send a multi-stakeholder delegation to the next negotiation round—including government representatives and private sector stakeholders—to reflect an inclusive, nationally driven approach to the treaty process. Looking ahead to her forthcoming role as Executive Secretary of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification, Fouad underlined that deeper cooperation, innovation, and inclusive governance will be central to tackling desertification and securing a sustainable future for Africa. She concluded by thanking AMCEN's leadership and South Africa for hosting the summit, and reaffirmed Egypt's commitment to advancing shared environmental priorities across the continent. The Egyptian delegation also included officials from the Ministry of Environment, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Embassy in Nairobi, all working together to position Egypt as a key driver of environmental cooperation and climate action in Africa.
Daily News Egypt
4 days ago
- Politics
- Daily News Egypt
Egypt's Environment Minister attends AMCEN conference in Nairobi
Egypt's Minister of Environment, Yasmine Fouad, has arrived in Nairobi to participate in the 20th session of the African Ministerial Conference on the Environment (AMCEN), taking place from 14 to 18 July under the theme 'Four Decades of Environmental Action in Africa: Reflecting on the Past and Imagining the Future,' marking the conference's 40th anniversary. This high-level gathering brings together ministers from across the continent, alongside senior figures including the Executive Director of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), the Executive Secretary of the UN Economic Commission for Africa, the President of the African Development Bank, and the African Union Commissioner for Environment, as well as prominent environmental experts. Fouad highlighted the importance of AMCEN in shaping unified African positions ahead of major international events, including the seventh session of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-7), ongoing negotiations towards a global treaty on plastic pollution, and the upcoming UN Climate Change Conference (COP30). She noted that the conference will also review progress on previous resolutions and set Africa's environmental priorities for the period 2025–2027. During the opening session, which included the ceremonial handover of the AMCEN presidency to Libya, Fouad took part in several high-level ministerial dialogues. These included discussions on 'Sustainable and Climate-Resilient Budgeting and Finance' as a means to address climate change, natural disasters, and environmental degradation. She also engaged in a dialogue titled 'Leveraging the G20 to Address Environmental Challenges,' and participated in the official launch of the African Union's Continental Circular Economy Action Plan (2024–2034), designed to support sustainable economic growth and reduce environmental waste across Africa. On the sidelines of AMCEN-20, Minister Fouad is holding a series of bilateral meetings, including with Musonda Mumba, Secretary-General of the Ramsar Convention, to discuss preparations for COP15; Elizabeth Maruma, UN Assistant Secretary-General and Deputy Executive Director of UNEP; and Jim Skea, Chair of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), to follow up on preparations for the IPCC's 63rd session scheduled for October 2025. She is also set to meet with Jessica Roswall, EU Commissioner for Environment, Water Resilience, and a Competitive Circular Economy.
Daily News Egypt
6 days ago
- Politics
- Daily News Egypt
Environment Minister launches second phase of ‘TeraMid' campaign for just energy transition
Egypt's Minister of Environment, Yasmine Fouad, launched on Monday the second phase of the 'TeraMid' campaign, which promotes a just and sustainable energy transition across the Mediterranean region. Fouad praised the campaign—led by the Arab Network for Environment and Development (RAED)—as a civil society-driven initiative aligned with global climate commitments, especially efforts to accelerate renewable energy adoption in Mediterranean countries. She noted that Egypt plans to generate 42% of its energy mix from renewables by 2030, having already reached over 7 GW of installed capacity in 2024, supported by ongoing wind and solar projects in Zafarana, Benban, and Gabal El-Zeit. Fouad stressed that investing in renewable energy has proven profitable, particularly in developing economies, but highlighted the need for legislative incentives and stronger grid infrastructure to attract greater private sector participation. She also called for reforms in international climate finance to help ease the debt burden on developing countries. The minister emphasized the role of renewables in safeguarding sectors vulnerable to climate change, notably agriculture and food security, and warned of the serious environmental threats facing the Mediterranean, including rising sea levels and plastic pollution. She further advocated integrating the 'TeraMid' campaign's goals into the upcoming Conference of the Parties to the Barcelona Convention, which Egypt will host in December. Emad Adly, General Coordinator of RAED, said the campaign's second phase will build on the achievements of its first phase, which notably recommended tripling renewable energy deployment in the Mediterranean to reach one terawatt of clean energy by 2030. He added that the next phase will focus on embedding these recommendations into national energy strategies, strengthening environmental journalism, and empowering youth through digital advocacy campaigns promoting clean energy across various sectors. The launch event also featured presentations highlighting the campaign's national and regional milestones, alongside a roundtable discussion exploring Egypt's leadership role in reaching the terawatt target, the challenges ahead, and opportunities for deeper collaboration between government, private sector, and civil society stakeholders.
Daily News Egypt
12-07-2025
- Politics
- Daily News Egypt
Egypt, Mexico discuss environmental cooperation, combating desertification
Egypt's Minister of Environment, Yasmine Fouad, met with Mexican Ambassador to Cairo, Leonora Rueda Gutierrez, to explore opportunities for bilateral and multilateral cooperation on key environmental issues, including desertification, climate change, and waste management, the ministry announced in a statement on Sunday. The meeting, attended by Ambassador Raouf Saad, Advisor for Multilateral Agreements, and a representative from the Foreign Ministry, began with Ambassador Rueda congratulating Fouad on her recent appointment as Executive Secretary of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD). Rueda expressed Mexico's confidence in Fouad's leadership, noting her extensive environmental expertise and the shared conditions between Egypt, Mexico, and other developing countries. Fouad highlighted the longstanding environmental collaboration between the two nations, particularly since Egypt assumed the presidency of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) from Mexico in 2018. She pointed to ongoing joint efforts in advancing the green transition and promoting circular economy initiatives. The minister also noted the global initiative launched by President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi during COP14 to integrate the Rio Conventions on climate change, biodiversity, and desertification. She stressed that these interconnected challenges have a direct impact on food security, especially in Africa. Amid increasing global instability, food insecurity, and intensifying climate impacts, Fouad described desertification as one of the most pressing environmental threats. She underscored that 2026 will be a pivotal year, as all three Rio Conventions will convene their conferences, creating a unique opportunity to mobilise political will, international solidarity, and financial resources. Fouad outlined Egypt's achievements in applying nature-based solutions to address climate change impacts along its coastlines. These solutions, she explained, offer cost-effective and integrated approaches that simultaneously support climate adaptation, biodiversity conservation, and sustainable land use — a model particularly suited to countries with limited resources. At the bilateral level, Fouad discussed Egypt's integrated waste management system, established through the first national waste management law in 2020. The system embraces circular economy principles and shifts operational responsibility from the state to the private sector. Since its introduction, Egypt has invested in supporting infrastructure and launched successful partnerships with private sector stakeholders, she added. For her part, Ambassador Rueda expressed Mexico's interest in benefiting from Egypt's experience in transforming environmental challenges into economic opportunities. She highlighted shared concerns, including the impacts of desertification and flash floods on agriculture. Mexico, she noted, is currently working to modernise traditional farming practices and develop educational programmes focused on biodiversity and sustainability — areas where closer cooperation with Egypt could bring significant value.
Daily News Egypt
09-07-2025
- Business
- Daily News Egypt
Environment ministry signs agreement to strengthen marine protection, promote ecotourism
Egypt's Minister of Environment, Yasmine Fouad, witnessed the signing of a cooperation protocol between the Egyptian Environmental Affairs Agency and the Marine Environment Protection Foundation, aimed at enhancing sustainable resource management and promoting public awareness around marine ecosystems, the ministry said in a statement on Monday. The agreement was signed by Ali Abou Sena, CEO of the Environmental Affairs Agency, and Mohamed Hossam El-Din Abdel Rahim, Chair of the Foundation's Board of Trustees, in the presence of the Foundation's Executive Director, Khaled Raslan. Minister Fouad stated that the partnership reflects the ministry's ongoing support for civil society initiatives aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly those contributing to environmental protection and the well-being of future generations. According to the ministry, the protocol focuses on strengthening environmental monitoring, raising awareness about the dangers of overfishing, supporting the protection of nature reserves, and promoting ecotourism through seminars, awareness campaigns, and environmental camps. Under the agreement, the Environmental Affairs Agency will provide technical assistance and approve proposed activity plans. The Foundation, for its part, will organise environmental events, encourage volunteer participation, and implement small-scale conservation projects within protected areas, all of which will be fully financed by the Foundation. Fouad stressed that such joint initiatives benefit local communities by enhancing livelihoods and increasing public participation in natural resource preservation. She underscored the government's commitment to working hand-in-hand with civil society organisations as a cornerstone for safeguarding Egypt's natural heritage and building a more sustainable future.
