Egyptian Environment Minister Yasmine Fouad has praised the ongoing consultative meetings on a plastic pollution treaty, describing them as instrumental in supporting the negotiation process and customary procedures to reach a legally binding global agreement to curb plastic pollution. Speaking on Tuesday during the consultative ministerial meeting on plastic pollution treaty, held as part of the Third United Nations Ocean Conference, Minister Fouad said such meetings advance negotiations and bring countries' perspectives closer. She noted the consensus on considering national differences in circumstances, strategies and procedures, and their impact on the multilateral process. This, she added, would allow each country the flexibility to implement measures in line with its national context, paving the way for more effective outcomes. Fouad outlined Egypt's stance on several key articles under discussion, including Article 3 of the agreement. She stressed that implementing global measures without providing the necessary technical support would undermine efforts to reduce plastic pollution. On Article 6, related to plastic production reduction, she called for greater clarity on implementation mechanisms that strike a balance with the social and economic dimensions of plastic production. On financing, Fouad emphasised the need for a robust funding mechanism to support an ambitious agreement. This, she explained, should not rely solely on public funding, international resources or the private sector, but also ensure access to finance for technology and viable plastic alternatives. She underlined the importance of developed countries honouring their commitments to public financing so as not to burden developing nations with the costs of addressing multiple environmental challenges, including climate change and biodiversity loss. Fouad concluded that adopting a global treaty on plastic pollution would demonstrate the effectiveness of the multilateral system and the United Nations' ability to develop a binding international instrument to address a global environmental issue. She stressed the need to reach common ground on three contentious areas — products and chemicals, sustainable consumption and production, and financing — ahead of the next negotiating session, particularly with the 52nd session of the International Negotiating Committee approaching. Attribution: Amwal Al Ghad English Subediting: M. S. Salama
