Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El Sisi on Sunday reaffirmed Egypt’s confidence in United Nations (UN) Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) Dr Yasmine Fouad and her experience in tackling global environmental challenges and supporting international efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, especially amid rising environmental crises worldwide.
President Sisi made remarks while meeting Fouad in the presence of Minister of Foreign Affairs, Emigration and Egyptian Expatriates Badr Abdelatty, Presidential Spokesman Mohamed el-Shenawy said.
During the meeting, President Sisi welcomed Fouad and pledged that Egypt would provide all necessary support to ensure her success in implementing the convention, to hep provide the legally binding framework for addressing desertification and drought through multilateral cooperation, added the spokesman.
She voiced deep appreciation to President Sisi and underscored Egypt’s pivotal role and significant efforts in combating desertification, including extensive agricultural reclamation projects despite severe water scarcity. She also commended Egypt’s full compliance with the Convention, timely submission of national reports and voluntary land rehabilitation targets, Shenawy said.
The spokesman added that the meeting addressed opportunities to strengthen relations between Egypt and the UNCCD secretariat, expand joint cooperation and enhance mechanisms to support member states, especially in Africa and the Arab region, thereby reinforcing the Convention’s effectiveness and supporting countries’ efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals amid growing environmental challenges.
