CAIRO, – The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Emigration, and Egyptian Expatriates warmly welcomed the announcement made by United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres regarding the appointment of Minister of Environment Yasmine Fouad as the new Executive Secretary of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD).
The ministry stated Friday that this high-level appointment reflects Egypt’s leading and pivotal role under the leadership of President Abdel Fattah El Sisi in recent years in the field of environmental diplomacy and international development.
It added that “This leadership was prominently demonstrated during Egypt’s presidency of the 27th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP27), which served as a distinguished model of responsible leadership aimed at balancing economic development and environmental preservation, thereby ensuring a secure and sustainable future for coming generations. It also amplified Africa’s voice on the international stage, significantly contributing to advancing the sustainable development agenda and highlighting critical issues such as climate adaptation, water security, and energy.”
The foreign ministry emphasized that the appointment of Yasmine Fouad to this prominent international post is a testament to the confidence in her capabilities and extensive expertise in addressing global environmental challenges and supporting international efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly in light of the escalating environmental crises worldwide.
The ministry extended its sincere congratulations to her and wished her continued success in fulfilling the responsibilities of her new role.
The UN has announced in a statement that Fouad will succeed Ibrahim Thiaw of Mauritania whom the Secretary-General said he is deeply grateful for his dedicated service and outstanding commitment to the Organization.
According to the UN statement, “serving as Minister of Environment of Egypt since 2018, Fouad is an expert in environmental diplomacy with over 25 years of experience in environmental governance, global environmental themes and international climate diplomacy, the statement read. She has a proven track record in designing and implementing institutional and systemic reforms for sustainable development.
“On the global stage, Fouad has played a pivotal role in multilateral environmental processes, serving as the President of the 14th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD-COP 14) (2018-2021) and as the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) COP 27 Envoy (2021-2022).
“She co-led the process for reaching consensus to draft the Global Biodiversity Framework 2030 and played a key role in advancing global initiatives on adaptation, food security, agriculture and nature-based solutions at COP 27. She also spearheaded the Presidential Global Initiative, which links the Rio Conventions launched at CBD COP 14. She co-facilitated climate finance at five Climate COPs representing the interests of the global South in collaboration with Northern partners.
“Regionally, she has contributed to the Committee of African Heads of State and Government on Climate Change (CAHOSCC) and African Ministerial Conference on the Environment (AMCEN) (2015-2017) as Assistant Minister of Environment for Sustainable Development, Regional and International Cooperation.
“She was instrumental in the technical preparation and coordination of the African Adaptation Initiative and the African Renewable Energy Initiative. She co-chaired the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) Regional Flagship Programmes steering committee including Sustainable Land Management, Desertification, Biodiversity and Ecosystems-based Adaptation to Climate Change.
“As a visiting scholar at Columbia University, Fouad contributed to the Earth Institute, helping design a Centre of Excellence for Climate Change Adaptation in Egypt. She holds a Ph.D.in Euro-Mediterranean Studies, Cairo University, and a M.Sc. in Environmental Science, Ain Shams University.”
