UK, Egypt boost green partnership with focus on eco-tourism

CAIRO, Egypt (MNTV) — Egypt and the United Kingdom have reaffirmed their commitment to deepening cooperation on the green transition, sustainable tourism, and environmental investments, following high-level talks between Egyptian Environment Minister Yasmine Fouad and British Ambassador to Cairo Gareth Bayley.

The meeting follows Fouad’s recent appointment as Executive Secretary of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD). 

She emphasized Egypt’s leadership in aligning the goals of the three Rio Conventions—on climate change, biodiversity, and desertification—under a just and inclusive green transition framework.

Ambassador Bayley praised Egypt’s environmental progress and invited the country to join the UK’s Green Energy Alliance, a component of the broader Green Growth campaign aimed at driving clean energy transitions in developing economies. 

He reiterated the UK’s backing for Egypt’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement.

Minister Fouad highlighted the pivotal role of the private sector in Egypt’s green strategy, particularly within the tourism industry. 

She said eco-tourism is a national priority and a vital economic driver, with financial incentives now embedded in Egypt’s investment laws. 

She added that 98% of tourism services are operated privately, and the Ministry has fostered close partnerships to ensure environmental compliance and sustainability.

During the pandemic, the Ministry supported diving and fishing communities with alternative income opportunities. 

Many of these individuals are now involved in marine conservation, Fouad said, as Egypt advances its plan to declare the entire Red Sea coast a protected area—potentially raising the country’s protected land and marine zones to 22%.

The meeting also addressed Egypt’s circular economy and waste management initiatives. 

Fouad pointed to recent reforms in the cement industry, where companies are now sourcing more than 30% of their energy from alternative fuels, including waste-derived options. 

Regulatory changes have limited coal licensing unless firms commit to using greener alternatives.

Both sides agreed to intensify technical cooperation in updating Egypt’s NDCs, improving climate monitoring systems, and promoting climate awareness. They also discussed joint efforts in capacity-building and environmental governance.

Fouad noted Egypt’s active role in upcoming negotiations on the UN Global Plastics Treaty and emphasized the country’s new policy mandating extended producer responsibility for single-use plastic bags.

Ambassador Bayley welcomed Egypt’s potential participation in the UK-led Green Growth campaign and confirmed continued support through the $680 million Blue Planet Fund. 

The initiative will finance coral reef and marine biodiversity projects along the Red Sea coast—described by Bayley as “a global ecological treasure.”