Egypt: The Minister of Environment, Yasmin Fouad, met with Minister of Education Ayman Ashour and discussed supporting ways of cooperation between the two ministries. 

On her part, Minister Yasmin Fouad stated that “Our goal is to invest in people and prepare qualified human cadres to work in the environment and climate change sector in Egypt.” On the other hand, Education Minister Ayman Ashour stressed the significance of cooperation and coordination with the Ministry of Environment to qualify university youth to understand environmental issues and climate change.

As per the reports, Yasmin Fouad received the Minister of Higher- Education and Scientific Research to talk about the ways to support cooperation between the two ministries in several joint files at the headquarters of the Higher Education Ministry.

At the beginning of the meeting, Yasmin Fouad confirmed the importance of preparing qualified human cadres to work in the environmental sector and climate change in Egypt through cooperation with the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research. 

In addition, both ministers also emphasized on specialities supporting the sector are the most in-demand in the coming period and need to prepare supporting youth for this, both at the higher studies level Or specialized training courses, as well as pointing to the importance of climate change supporting the environmental sector, 

which diversifies between the creation of legislation and regulations, provision of technology and funding, and, most importantly, investing in people; to support the Egyptian market with human personnel capable of working in climate finance departments in the banking sector in Egypt.

“The Ministry has made several efforts to support the environment sector and the climate change file in the past period, paved by the curriculum of environmental topics in Egyptian universities, such as climate change and biodiversity prepared by the Ministry through several experts, in full cooperation and coordination with the Scientific Research and Ministry of Education For her credit,” said the Minister of Environment, Yasmin Fouad. 

Furthermore, the meeting was attended by the Ministry of Environment, Mr Mohammed Motamed, Assistant to the Minister of Investment, and Engineer Samah Saleh, Director of the Sustainable Development Unit and the head of the education file in the ministry. 

Along with the Ministry of Higher Education, Dr Helmy Alghar is the secretary of private and civil universities councils and works as the secretary of the board of foreign universities branches; Dr Mustafa Rifaat, General Secretary of the Supreme Council of Universities, Dr Hossam Abdul Ghaffar Secretary of the Supreme Council of University Hospitals, Wd. Hisham Al-Askari, Vice President of the Egyptian Space Agency.  

“Minister Yasmeen Fouad, on the role that universities, whether public or private, have played at the cop27 climate conference, and the ideas, projects and scientific research she provided for youth; to counter the negative effects of climate change, emphasizes the need to work together to develop a roadmap for the cop28 climate conference, by holding workshops for university youth, and developing their capacity. On a national level,” said reports. 

During the meeting, Minister Fouad suggested putting together a joint worksheet containing pathways to be worked on in the coming period, which includes holding monthly workshops for private and government universities and presenting the general framework of research and technology paths in the National Strategy for Climate Change 2020. 

For his part, the Minister of Higher Education stressed the importance of the initiatives launched by the Ministry of Environment, aimed at building the capacity of university youth with scientific knowledge on all environmental issues, pointing to the importance of cooperation between universities, centres and research institutes, and the Ministry of Environment in confronting the dangers of climate change and environmental problems.

Education Minister Ayman Ashour further emphasized the need to focus on research studies of the Egyptian community to raise environmental awareness as one of the most key factors in the success of plans and programs related to this subject, stressing the importance of cooperating with the Ministry of Environment to qualify university youth to understand environmental topics and their concepts of climate change, biodiversity, desertification, and other issues.

Reviewing the efforts of universities and research institutions at the conference, the Minister of Higher Education organized the cooperation between the two ministries during the preparation and holding of the climate conference, emphasized the importance of continuing to carry out research and organizing workshops discussing solutions to climate change and environmental problems the world is experiencing.

Minister Ayman Ashour concluded the meeting with the community issues decider studied by university students, noting that it includes a section on climate issues, which contributes to raising the awareness of the university student of urgent social problems, forming positive behavioural habits, as well as linking the academic side studied by students to the requirements and needs of the society.