Environment Minister Yasmine Fouad said Egypt has exerted tireless efforts as the President of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP 14) to develop the post-2020 global biodiversity framework, despite the critical conditions that the world faced given the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic.
Fouad was speaking during a high-level virtual political segment held ahead of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (Biodiversity PreCOP ) under the leadership of Colombia and with the participation of heads of state and government of countries around the world.
The minister sent several messages to be considered during China’s presidency of the coming COP 15 including the inevitability of working to link between preserving biodiversity and combating climate change impacts.
In this regard, Fouad shed light on Egypt’s initiative launched by President Abdel Fattah El Sisi to merge the three Rio Conventions on Biodiversity, Climate Change and Desertification, to unify efforts and effectively achieve the objectives of these agreements.
The minister also said investment is a key issue related to biodiversity at the economic, technological and scientific levels, adding that investing in the human factor is a most important aspect.
She also affirmed the importance of reaching an ambitious framework to preserve biodiversity during COP 15 and unifying efforts to implement it, noting that Egypt will spare no effort to help preserve the planet and counter climate change.