Egypt is intensifying preparations to host the 24th Conference of the Parties to the Convention for the Protection of the Mediterranean Environment from Pollution, widely known as the Barcelona Convention, scheduled to take place from 2 to 5 December.
Dr. Manal Awad, Minister of Local Development and Acting Minister of Environment, chaired a high-level coordination meeting to review ongoing arrangements.
Attendees included Dr. Ali Abu Senna, Head of the Egyptian Environmental Affairs Agency (EEAA), Yasmine Salem, Assistant Minister for Government Coordination, Mohamed Moatamed, Assistant Minister for Environmental Planning and Investment, and other senior officials overseeing coastal and international cooperation efforts.
The meeting focused on finalising the host country agreement, designing frameworks for side events, and coordinating with the Convention Secretariat in Athens to manage offers from partners interested in organising scientific and cultural activities alongside the conference.
Officials also discussed the preparation of a draft ministerial declaration to be unveiled at the conference’s conclusion and reviewed the anticipated final decisions on key scientific issues.
Dr. Manal Awad stressed the importance of meticulous preparation to ensure the conference delivers impactful decisions addressing the pressing environmental challenges facing the Mediterranean region.
“We aim to protect this unique ecosystem, reduce all forms of pollution, and ensure its sustainability as a vital lifeline for neighbouring countries,” she said.
Dr. Ali Abu Senna confirmed that a draft of the ministerial declaration will be initiated in early September, with the first version set for discussion during a contact meeting from 16 to 20 September.
The agreed theme for this declaration is “a sustainable blue economy for a resilient and healthy Mediterranean region.”
A logistics working group has been formed, led by the Ministry of Environment in collaboration with other ministries, with priorities including the reduction of single-use plastics.
The Mediterranean Action Plan (MAP), established in 1975 under the United Nations Environment Programme, forms the basis of the Barcelona Convention, now ratified by 22 countries committed to combating pollution and safeguarding the marine environment.
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