Egypt’s Minister of Environment Dr. Yasmin Fouad held talks on Monday with Italy’s ambassador to Cairo Michele Quaroni.

They discussed bilateral cooperation in the field of environment and Egypt’s preparations to hold the 27th session of the UN Climate Change Conference (COP27) in Sharm El-Sheikh in November.

Fouad said Egypt aims to build on the outcomes of the 2021 Glasgow Conference (COP26).

It seeks to encourage countries to update their strategies for national contributions, raise ambitions and collective action to accelerate the process of agreeing to the collective goal of adaptation, which is a priority for developing countries, as well as achieving a balance between adaptation and resilience, as stated in the Paris Agreement.

She highlighted the future opportunities for cooperation between Egypt and Italy, especially in light of the future global events in the field of environment and climate.

She said Cairo will dedicate several days during the conference to discuss specific topics related to the initiatives that will be launched, such as financing and adaptation, food security and water.

The water issue has become crucial, in light of the pollution caused by plastic waste in seas and oceans, in addition to the sustainable quality of life for water-dependent communities such as fishermen.

Fouad pointed to the possibility of cooperation with Italy in the ecosystem and biodiversity initiative, being one of the key partners in the field of bilateral cooperation to conserve biodiversity and natural reserves.

COP27 will also focus on the role of science and technology in addressing the effects of climate change, by involving many research institutions and establishing an innovation center in the conference’s green zone, in cooperation with the private sector.

Quaroni, for his part, hailed Egypt’s interest in raising the issue of water management at the event, underlining his country’s interest in this regard.

He pointed to the scarcity of natural resources in water, prompting Italy to work on the concept of a revolving economy and the development of water management systems and technology.