Egypt hands over presidency of conference of the Convention on Biological Diversity to China

 

CAIRO – 11 October 2021: During its presidency of the 14th conference of the Convention on Biological Diversity, Egypt succeeded in facing all the challenges imposed by the global conditions represented by the spread of the coronavirus pandemic, said Egyptian Minister of Environment Yassmine Fouad on Monday.

 

Her comments were stated a press conference organized by the Ministry of Environment to celebrate handing over the presidency of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity from Egypt to China.

 

Egypt's presidency of the conference extended for 3 years, the longest period in the history of the agreement, she said, adding that during these years, Egypt was able to put Africa’s issues on the world’s priorities.

 

Egypt has launched a Sharm El-Sheik to Kunming Action Agenda for Nature and People, in coordination with the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) to catalyze and collect actions taken in support of biodiversity conservation, Fouad said.

 

Fouad added that Egypt has joined the Metz Charter, believing in the need to preserve biodiversity, which is an essential element for achieving sustainable development, besides the launch of the  Egyptian initiative to enhance synergy and harmony between the three "Rio" conventions concerned with climate change, desertification and biodiversity. This initiative and announcement were stated by President Abdel Fattah El Sisi during the 14th Convention on Biological Diversity Conference of the Parties (COP 14) in Sharm el-Sheikh in November 2018.

 

The Metz Charter on Biodiversity was signed by the G7 Environment Ministers (Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States), five other countries and the EU commissioner for environment. The signing was witnessed by Egyptian Minister of Environment Yasmine Fouad on May 9, 2019 in France’s Metz.

 

On the African level, Fouad said that Egypt worked on the development of the Pan-African Action Agenda on Ecosystem Restoration, which aims to preserve African lands and ecosystems, reduce or mitigate the effects of land and ecosystem degradation.  It also approved the playoff the 17th Ordinary Session of the African Ministerial Conference on the Environment (AMCEN).