AMMAN – Egypt’s Minister of Environment Yasmin Fouad asserted the depth of historical and sisterly ties binding Egypt and Jordan, noting that Cairo was keen on extending all types of support to Jordan including Amman’s the Climate/Refugee Nexus Initiative, which prioritizes support for host countries bearing the brunt of climate change.
The minister’s remarks were made during her meeting with her Jordanian counterpart Muawieh Khalid Radaideh on the fringe of her current visit to Jordan at an invitation from Princess Alia Bint Al Hussein, to lay the foundation for co-operation between the two countries in the field of nature protection.
The minister is accompanied by Fayyoum Governor Ahmed Al Ansari and minister’s adviser for nature reserves Mohamed Salim.
During the meeting, Fouad discussed means of boosting bilateral ties in the field of investment of nature reserves, maintaining eco and biological diversity as well as exchanging expertise in the field of climate issues.
They also exchanged views on the 11 initiatives launched during Egypt’s presidency to UN Climate Conference held in Sharm El Sheikh in November
Fouad said the US supported Egypt with dlrs 25 billion to the food and agriculture initiative as well as Germany’s funding of dlrs 1.5 billion to preserve eco-diversity.
She explained that the Egyptian and Jordanian sides could exchange expertise in the field of waste management, highlighting Cairo’s incentives to the private sector in this field, adding that both sides could also cooperate in investing and preserving natural reserves through the establishment of a wild animal park in co-operation with Jordan and the involvement of the private sector, similar to the wild park in the Jordanian shelter reserve, with the aim of encouraging ecotourism based on preserving wild creatures while integrating local communities in the conservation of natural resources.
The Jordanian minister, for his part, asked for support from Egypt to Jordan’s initiative of the Climate/Refugee Nexus Initiative, noting that the influx of refugees has caused a big rise in the population number and this issue needed a technical and financial support.
During the visit, the Minister of Environment and Governor of Fayoum, held various meetings with Jordanian officials and made a field visit to the Al-Mawwa Reserve for Nature and Wildlife located in the Jerash Governorate in northern Jordan to learn about how to establish the wild park, its management method, mechanisms for integrating the local community into its preservation, and the incentives provided to involve the private sector in it.
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