At the Grand Egyptian Museum, Egypt’s Minister of Environment, Dr. Yasmine Fouad, joined ministers, international stakeholders, and environmental experts for the 18th Board of Trustees meeting of the Center for Environment and Development for the Arab Region and Europe (CEDARE).
The session was chaired by Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture, Eng. Abdulrahman Al-Fadli, with virtual participation from ministers in the UAE, Yemen, Jordan, and key representatives from Bahrain, the Arab League, the Islamic Development Bank, the University of Malta, and various UN agencies.
A Turning Point for Arab Environmental Leadership
Dr. Fouad, who serves as Vice-Chair of the CEDARE Board of Trustees, emphasized the Arab region’s untapped potential to transform environmental challenges into economic opportunities. “This meeting is not just about administration. It’s about shaping how our region responds to global shifts—and seizing our moment,” she said.
Marking her final board meeting as Egypt’s Environment Minister before assuming her new role as Executive Secretary of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), Fouad urged CEDARE to embrace structural reform, private sector partnerships, and regional coordination as tools to elevate its impact.
A Vision for “Green Awakening”
Dr. Khaled Fahmy, former Egyptian Environment Minister and now Acting Executive Director of CEDARE, praised Fouad’s legacy and regional leadership. He confirmed that institutional restructuring, strategic realignment, and financial reform are underway to modernize the center’s mission.
Saudi Minister Al-Fadli noted that the region is undergoing a “green awakening”, highlighted by the Middle East Green Initiative, COP27 in Egypt, COP28 in the UAE, and the upcoming COP16 on desertification, which Saudi Arabia will host. He called for greater investment in circular economy models, joint research, and integrated climate-water-food policy approaches. “We are no longer in the phase of planning—we are implementing, with urgency,” Al-Fadli said.
Climate Priorities: Circular Economy, Water, and Food Security
Fouad underscored pressing shared priorities: climate impacts on water resources, food security, and economic diversification. She spotlighted recent Egypt-Saudi collaboration on a regional circular economy strategy, which will be discussed at the next Arab Ministerial Council for the Environment.
She also proposed building a database of Arab research centers and universities that specialize in environmental topics and recommended partnering with the private sector to offer scholarships and grants focused on sustainability.
A Shared Future Through Partnership
In a special presentation, Dr. Mahmoud Fathallah, Head of Environment and Meteorology at the Arab League, introduced a regional roadmap for circular economy cooperation, stressing its potential to boost economic growth while reducing environmental pressures.
Eng. Samah Saleh, Head of the Sustainable Development Unit at Egypt’s Ministry of Environment, emphasized the growing need for resource efficiency and re-use technologies, especially in countries with constrained natural assets.
Governance, Strategy, and Institutional Reform
The meeting concluded with approval to extend the current Board of Trustees’ term by one year and a review of proposed restructuring strategies, financial performance, and future funding priorities for CEDARE.
A final round of discussions invited board members to share visions and proposals for enhancing CEDARE’s institutional capacity, securing long-term funding, and expanding its influence as a regional think tank and action platform.
As she handed over the reins, Dr. Yasmine Fouad expressed deep appreciation for her colleagues and reaffirmed her commitment to amplifying Arab and African environmental priorities on the global stage in her new UN role.
