As part of her ongoing coordination meetings within Egypt’s Ministry of Environment, Dr. Manal Awad, Minister of Local Development and acting Minister of Environment, convened a high-level session with Dr. Ali Abou Sena, CEO of the Egyptian Environmental Affairs Agency (EEAA), to assess the current status of environmental cooperation with international development partners and the progress of active green projects across the country.
The meeting, held in the presence of senior officials including Yasmin Salem (Assistant Minister for Governmental Coordination), Hoda El Shawadfi (Assistant Minister for Ecotourism), Tamer Abu Gharrara (International Cooperation Advisor), and Soha Taher (Head of International Cooperation and Climate Change), aimed to synchronize efforts across multiple environmental and climate domains.
Dr. Awad emphasized that development partners remain essential allies in advancing Egypt’s environmental and climate agenda. She received a detailed briefing on Egypt’s international environmental cooperation efforts, including the country’s obligations under multilateral environmental agreements and the national strategies in place to implement them.
$500 Million in Environmental Project Financing in 2024
The Minister was updated on 16 environmental projects co-financed by development partners in 2024, with a combined investment portfolio of approximately $500 million. These projects span critical areas such as air quality, biodiversity, climate adaptation, and pollution control. Notable initiatives include:
- The transformation of Sharm El-Sheikh into a green city,
- The National Biodiversity Strategy,
- Egypt’s First and Second Transparency Reports,
- The Greater Cairo Air Pollution and Climate Management Project, and
- The Industrial Pollution Control Program.
Dr. Awad also reviewed Egypt’s access to major global environmental financing mechanisms, notably the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and the Green Climate Fund (GCF). The GEF supports projects across areas like biodiversity, climate change, land degradation, water pollution, and chemical management. Meanwhile, the GCF—operating under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change—provides critical support to developing countries for climate mitigation and adaptation initiatives.
Upcoming Global Engagements
The meeting also covered Egypt’s upcoming participation in several international environmental forums, including:
- The 80th Session of the UN General Assembly,
- The Second African Climate Summit, and
- Preparations for COP24 of the Barcelona Convention on Mediterranean environmental and coastal protection, which Egypt will host in December.
Dr. Awad reiterated Egypt’s commitment to enhancing environmental governance, leveraging international cooperation, and expanding climate finance access as strategic pillars of the country’s sustainable development goals.
