Egypt's Minister of Environment, Yasmine Fouad, participated in the Second Roundtable of the African Forum of Environmental Protection Agencies (AFEPA) in Cairo, hosted by CEDARE in collaboration with the UNEP Regional Office, from 3 to 5 December. The forum brought together leaders of African environmental agencies, UNEP-accredited diplomats, and experts to share experiences, promote best practices, and tackle common environmental challenges. Established by AMCEN in 2022, AFEPA's mission is to link science with policy, mobilize partnerships, and advance both regional and global environmental agendas. In her opening speech, Minister Fouad emphasized the importance of integrating scientific knowledge into actionable policies to drive sustainable development. She highlighted Egypt's achievements in renewable energy and the Integrated Coastal Zone Management Plan as examples of successful policy implementations. Minister Fouad also called for greater regional cooperation to share knowledge and best practices, aiming to elevate Africa's environmental leadership. Dr. Ali Abo Sena, CEO of the Egyptian Environmental Affairs Agency, presented Egypt's success in ecotourism, which received widespread praise from other African environmental agency leaders. The meeting, chaired by Faustin Munyazikwiye, Deputy Director of the Rwanda Environment Management Agency, successfully met its three primary objectives, including updating the Africa Action Plan, which will serve as a roadmap for future initiatives. The gathering also addressed the urgent issue of plastic pollution, aligning with global discussions in South Korea on the creation of a binding agreement to combat plastic pollution. A key highlight of the forum was the launch of AFEPA's digital platform, developed by CEDARE, aimed at improving communication and knowledge exchange among African environmental protection agencies. Ahmed Abdel Rahim, Deputy Executive Director of CEDARE, explained that the platform provides specialized tools to tackle critical environmental challenges across the continent. The platform will also centralize essential resources, such as funding and training information, to support sustainable development in Africa. During the closing session, Morocco was unanimously elected as a member of the Executive Bureau of AFEPA. The newly formed Executive Bureau, which includes representatives from Rwanda, Zambia, Niger, Gabon, and Morocco, will serve for two-year terms, with members elected from Africa's regions on a rotational basis. The selection reflects a balanced representation of the continent's environmental leadership. In his closing remarks, Abdel Rahim expressed gratitude to the participants and reaffirmed CEDARE's commitment to supporting African countries in achieving sustainable development. He also extended special thanks to Minister Fouad for her unwavering support, noting Egypt's role as a model for balancing economic growth, natural resource preservation, and environmental sustainability across Africa.
