Egypt addresses World Leaders Summit for Nature in Armenia

Manal Awad, Egypt's Minister of Local Development and Environment, delivered a speech on behalf of President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi at the World Leaders Summit for Nature in Yerevan, Armenia. The summit serves as a preparatory event for the 17th Conference of the Parties (COP17) to the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity.

During her address, Awad emphasized the necessity of strengthening international political will and intensifying cooperation to transform global biodiversity commitments into tangible national actions. She highlighted the interconnected challenges facing the world, including biodiversity loss, ecosystem degradation, climate change, desertification, and pollution, noting their impact on food and water security, livelihoods, and socio-economic stability.

Awad referenced Egypt's active role in international biodiversity conservation, including its presidency of COP14 in Sharm El-Sheikh in 2018 and its contribution to the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. She stated that Egypt is prepared to work with international partners to address gaps in financing, technology, and capacity building to ensure the successful implementation of global biodiversity goals.