CAIRO – 16 May 2025: Environment Minister Yasmine Fouad held a meeting with Canadian Ambassador to Egypt Louis Dumas and his accompanying delegation to discuss ongoing and future cooperation on environmental issues at both national and multilateral levels.

The meeting was attended by Ambassador Raouf Saad, Advisor to the Minister on Multilateral Agreements, and Soha Taher, Head of the Central Administration for International Cooperation and Climate Change.

Fouad praised the long-standing and distinguished environmental partnership between Egypt and Canada, highlighting Canada’s early support in building Egypt’s environmental capabilities, particularly in data management through the development of an environmental information system, which played a crucial role in understanding and addressing complex environmental challenges.

The discussions covered collaborative efforts at the multilateral level, particularly during the UN Biodiversity Conference (COP15) held in Canada, where both countries worked together to establish a global biodiversity framework. The two sides praised the joint cooperation during the COP27 Climate Summit in Sharm El-Sheikh and COP28 in Dubai, where Egypt and Canada jointly led consultations on climate finance, resulting in an agreement to scale up climate funding.

The minister presented Egypt’s vision for green transformation, which centers on raising ambition, encouraging green investment, and engaging the private sector. She emphasized Egypt’s aspiration to become a regional hub for green hydrogen and renewable energy, leveraging its significant natural capital and reaffirmed the state’s commitment to inclusive green transition, supported by the government, civil society, and local communities alike.

She also referenced presidential directives issued since 2018 to ensure active youth and women participation in environmental efforts, beyond mere awareness. Notable examples include small-scale waste management projects and the conservation of natural reserves, she said. The “Eco Egypt” campaign was cited as a successful initiative promoting eco-tourism through youth and entrepreneur engagement.

The minister elaborated on Egypt’s policy approach to tackling plastic pollution, a pressing global and national challenge. She mentioned the Cabinet’s approval of extended producer responsibility regulations for plastic bags under the Waste Management Law, alongside changes in production standards and the introduction of alternatives. A public awareness campaign on reducing single-use plastics is being prepared, in line with World Environment Day’s theme of reducing plastic pollution, she said.

The role of education in addressing environmental challenges was also a key topic. Fouad stressed the importance of integrating global environmental issues such as biodiversity and climate change into the national education system. Egypt has already incorporated these topics into school curricula and welcomed Canadian interest in developing technical education that includes environmental and sustainability components, she said.

The Canadian ambassador commended the historical depth of Egyptian-Canadian relations and expressed Canada’s intention to support Egypt’s green transition. He highlighted areas of potential cooperation, including technical education aligned with environmental sustainability, smart agriculture, and research partnerships aimed at addressing environmental priorities.