UN's Panova, Environment Min. Discuss Enhancing Cooperation

Egypt's Minister of Environment, Yasmine Fouad, met with the UN Resident Coordinator Elena Panova, in the presence of Ambassador Raouf Saad, the Advisor to the Minister of Environment for Multilateral Agreements, and Dr. Tamer Abou Gharara, Advisor to the Minister of Environment for International Relations.

The meeting aims to explore ways to strengthen collaborative efforts between the Ministry of Environment and various United Nations institutions and programs.

During the discussions, Panova commended the relentless efforts undertaken in recent years to promote environmental and climate-related issues, highlighting Egypt's significant role in the global climate agenda. She also acknowledged the ongoing partnership with the Ministry of Environment in executing numerous projects and initiatives, which align with the United Nations' mission to support local efforts in enhancing ambitions and achieving set objectives.

Fouad and Panova deliberated on strategies to bolster United Nations programs in Egypt, particularly in relation to the implementation of the updated national contributions plan. This plan, which Egypt announced prior to the COP27 climate conference in 2022, was revised in 2023 to elevate the target of achieving 42% renewable energy in the energy mix by 2030, rather than 2035. This initiative is spearheaded by the National Council for Climate Change, chaired by the Prime Minister, with an emphasis on the necessity of securing climate finance as a vital step toward realizing this goal.

Eariler this month, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Egypt, in partnership with the Ministry of Environment, and the Global Fund for Coral Reefs (GFCR) signed the Egyptian Red Sea Initiative, funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

According to UNDP, the Egyptian Red Sea Initiative is an important milestone in Egypt's ongoing efforts to protect its natural heritage. This initiative brings together key stakeholders to establish the first conservation trust fund for Red Sea coral reefs and support protection and preservation of coral reefs through innovative climate finance models that benefit local communities in the Red Sea Governorate. The initiative also aims to enhance the protection of approximately 99,899 hectares of coral reefs in the Egyptian Red Sea, including 13,637 hectares in Wadi El Gemal National Park and 50,612 hectares in the Northern Red Sea Islands Protectorate.