Egypt’s Minister of Environment, Dr. Yasmine Fouad,chaired the 66th meeting of the Board of the Egyptian Environmental Affairs Agency (EEAA) via video conference, in the presence of Dr. Ali Abu Sena, CEO of the EEAA, and senior board members including experts, representatives of relevant ministries, and environmental authorities.
Opening the session, Dr. Fouad expressed her deep appreciation to current and former board members, environmental experts, and former EEAA leaders, applauding their dedication to advancing Egypt’s environmental agenda. Board members reciprocated by congratulating Dr. Fouad on her new international appointment and recognizing her transformative leadership over the past seven years.
Key Decisions and Strategic Focus Areas
The meeting focused on several critical topics, most notably:
- Revising the methodology for calculating environmental compensation related to marine pollution caused by petroleum substances, based on recommendations from the Higher Environmental Compensation Committee.
- Establishing training programs to enhance national capacity in calculating emission reduction percentages and issuing carbon footprint certifications, in line with Egypt’s growing participation in global carbon markets.
- Strengthening oversight of entities authorized to issue carbon certificates, to ensure transparency and alignment with international standards.
Dr. Fouad also emphasized the importance of setting rigorous scientific and technical criteria for selecting environmental consultants. The Ministry, through the Accreditation Committee, has begun enforcing comprehensive requirements that incorporate scientific knowledge, societal awareness, and economic context, in accordance with evolving global practices.
Sustainable Eco-Tourism and Protected Areas
The session also reviewed progress in leveraging Egypt’s natural protectorates for sustainable eco-tourism. Dr. Fouad reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to involving the private sector in developing tourism-friendly services within protected areas, ensuring strict adherence to environmental regulations. These efforts aim to diversify nature-based tourism offerings while preserving the ecological integrity of the sites.
Institutional and Legislative Developments
The board discussed updates to procedures governing the Environmental Consultant Accreditation Committee, in accordance with recent amendments to Article 13 of the executive regulations of Law No. 4 of 1994, as amended by Law No. 9 of 2009. Dr. Fouad underlined the Ministry’s continuous work to integrate environmental expertise with broader socio-economic and policy frameworks.
