Monday, 25 May 2026
Egypt highlights environmental leadership at United Nations Ocean Conference in France
Egypt’s Minister of Environment, Dr. Yasmine Fouad, delivered Egypt’s official statement on behalf of President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi at the Third United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC3), taking place in Nice from June 9–13, 2025. The conference brought together government leaders, international organizations, NGOs, researchers, civil society, and the private sector to address pressing global ocean and environmental challenges.
Dr. Fouad underscored the importance of international cooperation in preserving natural resources—vital for the sustainability of life today and for future generations.
Egypt’s environmental commitments
In her address, she emphasized that 2025 starkly demonstrates the world’s intertwined environmental threats: rising sea levels driven by climate change, coral bleaching signaling biodiversity loss, more frequent extreme weather, and increased migration caused by environmental and economic stress. She also highlighted the growing problem of plastic pollution in oceans worldwide.
She reaffirmed Egypt’s strong commitment to multilateral action, outlining recent national efforts to protect natural resources, such as:
- Constructing over 70 kilometers of nature-based solutions on Egypt’s coastlines to support sustainable living for coastal communities.
- Proactive plans developed with national and international partners to combat extreme weather.
- Rehabilitation of northern lakes to protect the livelihoods of local fishermen and surrounding communities.
- Greening Egyptian ports—including Damietta, Port Said, and the Suez Canal—promoting environmentally friendly maritime practices.
- Temporary ban on fishing in the Red Sea to protect the delicate marine ecosystem.
Pioneering new environmental policies
Among Egypt’s latest initiatives, Dr. Fouad announced a major new policy: in early 2025, the Egyptian government approved “extended producer responsibility” for single-use plastic bags—a decisive move to reduce plastic pollution. This policy will be implemented imminently and shows Egypt’s commitment to global negotiations for a treaty curbing plastic contamination.
Egypt is also working to declare a new marine protected area along the Red Sea and its coral reefs, increasing the nation’s protected lands and waters from 15% to 22% of Egypt’s territory—an ambitious step towards international biodiversity goals.
Additionally, Egypt is finalizing a comprehensive “blue economy” strategy, which aims to support sustainable use of ocean and coastal resources while including social considerations.
Looking ahead
Dr. Fouad highlighted Egypt’s role in hosting the upcoming COP24 meeting of the Barcelona Convention, which unites 22 Mediterranean countries in sustainable management of shared sea resources. She stressed Egypt’s ongoing commitment to building partnerships and sharing innovative solutions to protect the global environment.
By sharing these bold policies and local success stories, Egypt hopes to inspire practical collaboration and global progress toward healthier oceans and a more sustainable future for all.