In an address before the African Affairs Committee of the Egyptian House of Representatives, Egypt’s Minister of Environment, Dr. Yasmine Fouad, reaffirmed the country’s growing leadership on climate policy, sustainable development, and international cooperation, highlighting a series of bold national and regional initiatives addressing food security, climate resilience, and ecosystem rehabilitation.
At the center of her remarks was Egypt’s success in mobilizing the first regional financing for food security projects in North and East Africa, a move Fouad described as both timely and urgent amid global disruptions in food supply chains, rising costs, and an increase in conflicts and irregular migration.
Food Security as a Climate Priority
“Food security is no longer a development issue—it is a global security concern,” Fouad declared. “Egypt has taken the lead by integrating food, water, and energy systems within a climate-smart framework and promoting this approach under a renewed political narrative of ecosystem restoration, inspired by the UN Convention to Combat Desertification.”
Fouad also emphasized the strategic importance of de-risking private sector investment in the agricultural and climate adaptation sectors, drawing parallels to Egypt’s success in scaling renewable energy through public-private models backed by international development banks.
Legacy of COP27 and Climate Damage Financing
As Egypt’s lead negotiator during COP27, Fouad oversaw the historic creation of the Loss and Damage Fund—the first of its kind to support countries suffering from irreversible climate impacts. She noted that momentum carried into COP28 in Dubai, where the fund was activated, and will continue through COP29 in Azerbaijan, where Egypt aims to channel financing into concrete national adaptation projects.
“We are preparing a portfolio of climate damage response projects, including a national technical team to calculate losses and guide the mobilization of international climate finance,” Fouad explained. “Egypt is not waiting for disaster—we are investing in early action.”
Science-Driven Policy and Crisis Preparedness
Among Egypt’s proactive initiatives is the Interactive Climate Map, developed in partnership with the Military Survey Authority, Meteorological Authority, and the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation. The platform models long-term climate impacts using historical data and mathematical forecasting tools.
This science-based approach feeds directly into early warning systems, including those supported by the African Space Agency, and informs the government’s Extreme Weather Management Plan, which defines institutional roles during crisis events like floods and severe storms—especially in vulnerable coastal cities like Alexandria.
Shifting the Narrative: Environment as a Catalyst for Investment
Minister Fouad stressed that the environment must be viewed not as a burden but as an engine for growth, citing examples such as Egypt’s transformation of rice straw burning—a long-time environmental hazard—into a profitable opportunity for farmers and a source of raw material for industry.
She also highlighted two major environmental impact assessments led by her ministry: one for Egypt’s Northwest Coast (in cooperation with the Ministry of Housing and tourism authorities) and another for South Red Sea, a biodiversity hotspot. These studies have been presented to the Cabinet to guide sustainable investment and provide clear environmental standards for developers.
