Prominent climate leaders to take part in Egypt-ICF on Africa’s climate change

04 / 09 / 2022

By Marwa Nassar - -

The second Egypt- International Cooperation Forum (Egypt-ICF) will convene on Wednesday under the auspices of President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi to address climate change issues in Africa.

The event – organized by the Ministry of International Cooperation in partnership with the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Finance and Environment – will witness high-level participation of heads of international and regional financing institutions as well as United Nations officials to urge the international community to deepen its partnership with Africa to forge a common path.

Egypt is capitalizing on its rich history of international cooperation to strengthen solidarity and cooperation between Africa and the world and continue to promote the building of a global community with a shared future.

The event is held in partnership with the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, Afrexim Bank, African Development Bank Group, the World Bank, Climate Investment Funds, BADEA Bank, the International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation, the International Finance Corporation, the European Investment Bank, Banque Misr and the National Bank of Egypt.

The second edition of the Egypt-ICF Forum is held ahead of the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP27) under the theme of moving from pledges to implementation. The overall objective of the event is to ensure coherence of African climate finance positions with needs, prioritize actions that can be led by African countries with targeted support to increase climate finance available for implementation, and showcase successful development practices and champion new initiatives and actionable policies on climate mitigation and adaptation.

High-level participants include Amina J. Mohammed, Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations and Chair of the United Nations Sustainable Development Group, John Kerry, US Climate Envoy, Mark Carney, UN Special Envoy on Climate Action and Finance, Odile Renaud Basso, President of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, Benedict Okey Oramah, President and Chairman of the Board of Directors, African Export–Import Bank, Mathias Cormann, Secretary-General of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, Khalida Bouzar, Assistant Secretary-General and Director of the United Nations Development Program Regional Bureau for Arab States, Vera Songwe, the United Nations Under-Secretary-General, Mari Pangestu, the World Bank Managing Director of Development Policy and Partnerships, Mokhtar Diop, Executive Director and Vice President of the International Finance Corporation, Mahmoud Mohieldin, UN Climate Change High-Level Champion for Egypt, Ghada Fathy Ismail Waly, Executive Director of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime and Director-General of the United Nations Office at Vienna, and Nigel Topping, UK’s High-Level Climate Action Champion.

Several African ministers will also participate in the gathering, including Barbara Creecy, Minister of Forestry and Fisheries and Environmental Affairs of the Republic of South Africa, Zainab Shamsuna Ahmed, Minister of Finance, Budget & National Planning – Federal Republic of Nigeria, Alamine ousmane, Minister of Economy, Planning and Regional Development – Cameroon, and Amb. Ukur Yatan, Cabinet Secretary for National Treasury and Planning – Kenya, Dier Tong Ngor, Minister of Finance and Economic Planning – South Sudan, Garama Saratou Rabiou Inoussa, Minister of the Environment and the Fight against Desertification of Niger, Romuald Wadagni, Minister of Economy and Finance – Benin, José Didier Tonato, Minister of the Living Environment and Sustainable Development – Benin, Dennis Dennis K. Vandi, Minister of Finance – Sierra Leone, Arlette Soudan-Nonault. Minister of Environment, Sustainable Development – Democratic Republic of Congo, Mohamed Abdoulkader Moussa, Minister of Environment and Sustainable Development – Guinea, Abdou Karim Sall, Seglaro Abel Somé, Minister of Economy, Finance and Prospective – Burkina Faso, Samila Ouedrago, Minister of Ecological Transition and Environment – Burkina Faso, Guy Loando Mboyo, Minister of Regional Planning – Democratic Republic of Congo, Francisca Eneme Efua, Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Forests and Environment, Guinea, Christian Mwando, Minister of Planning – Democratic Republic of Congo, Kavydass Ramano, Minister of Environment, Solid Waste Management and Climate Change – Mauritius, and David Wonou Oladokoun, Minister of Environment, Sustainable Development and the Protection of Nature – Togo.