Minister of Environment discusses leveraging Egypt's expertise at COP27 with Turkish counterpart

CAIRO – 17 July 2026: Dr. Manal Awad, Minister of Local Development and Environment, met with Murat Kurum, Türkiye's Minister of Environment, Urbanization, and Climate Change, on the sidelines of the D-8 Ministerial Meeting on the Environment, held in Türkiye on July 16–17, 2026.

The meeting was held as part of preparations for the upcoming 31st Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP31). Dr. Saber Osman, Assistant Minister for Sustainability and Community Engagement, also attended the session.

Dr. Awad and her Turkish counterpart discussed mechanisms for strengthening bilateral cooperation, reviving a previously signed Memorandum of Understanding, and operationalizing the 2024 joint declaration issued by the leaders of Egypt and Türkiye aimed at enhancing environmental action.

The Egyptian Minister explained that the proposed areas of cooperation include comprehensive waste management—leveraging Turkish expertise to address this challenge—as well as combating climate change through green projects designed to reduce carbon emissions and adapt to its effects. Other key focus areas include technology transfer, access to climate finance, and the development of sustainable, climate-resilient urban centers.

Dr. Awad also explored the possibility of leveraging Egypt's successful experience in organizing and chairing the COP27 climate conference, as Türkiye prepares to host COP31 this November.

She expressed optimism that Türkiye would deliver a successful conference that fulfills global aspirations for tangible climate action, mitigation, and adaptation, ultimately fostering a sustainable and dignified life worldwide. Additionally, she noted her hope that Türkiye would build upon the successes of previous regional climate conferences, specifically COP27 in Egypt and COP28 in the UAE.

For his part, the Turkish Minister expressed a strong desire to bolster cooperation with Egypt across various environmental fields. He announced an upcoming visit to Egypt to study its hosting of COP27 firsthand and integrate those insights into Türkiye’s organization of COP31.