Cairo hosted the second edition of the African Forum of Environmental Protection Agencies (AFEPA) last week under the theme “Boosting the Science-Policy Interface: Institutional Strengthening of Data Sharing, Compliance, and Enforcement.”
The three-day event was organised by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Regional Office for Africa, in collaboration with the Sustainability in Africa Programme of the Centre for Environment and Development for the Arab Region and Europe (CEDARE).
It was inaugurated by Yasmine Fouad, Egypt’s minister of environment, alongside Khaled Fahmi, executive director of CEDARE.
The forum built upon the achievements of the inaugural meeting of the African Environment Agency held in Kigali, Rwanda, in 2023, which saw the establishment of AFEPA as a platform to foster collaboration among Africa’s environmental protection agencies.
In her address at the Forum, Fouad stressed the importance of integrating science and policy initiatives to maximise the use of data in addressing environmental challenges and unlocking climate opportunities for Africa. She noted the need to leverage the latest scientific advancements, best practices, and success stories to develop solutions tailored to each nation.
She referred to an exemplary initiative that demonstrates the integration of scientific research into environmental conservation efforts along the Gulf of Aqaba coast in Egypt, noting that multiple studies have identified this region as potentially the last capable of withstanding the impacts of climate change.
Fouad presented an ambitious model for sustainable development in Africa that showed the potential to balance economic growth with the preservation of natural resources and environmental integrity. Egypt is working towards this goal by designating the Red Sea coast as a protected area, to be named the Great Coast, by the end of this year.
The initiative, she added, is the result of two years of consultations among diverse parties to address the challenges identified by scientific research, particularly the effects of development and population growth on coastal ecosystems and coral reefs.
The protection of this area will be enforced through the Natural Reserves Law and is in line with the Global Biodiversity Framework’s objective of designating 30 per cent of the planet as natural protectorates by 2030.
Faustin Munyazikwiye, deputy director of the Rwanda Environment Management Agency, said the forum had achieved its main objectives, particularly by updating the Africa Action Plan. It had included discussions on combating plastic pollution and enhancing partnerships among African nations in addressing this challenge, he said.
Ali Abu Senna, head of the Egyptian Environmental Affairs Agency, presented the achievements of Egypt’s Ministry of Environment in regulating ecotourism during the session on strengthening environmental governance in Africa as part of the event. He said the ministry has worked on the basis of a study of the global ecotourism market that says that each million ecotourists visiting Egypt could generate revenues of LE5.2 billion annually.
Abu Senna said that institutional support, policy governance, developing the infrastructure of protected areas, and public awareness campaigns are some of the features of the Ministry’s vision for ecotourism development in Egypt.
He referred to its ecotourism campaign that promotes the country’s nature reserves, as well as efforts to introduce innovative models for private-sector investment in reserve-based activities and services.
Such policies can help to enable the African countries to resolve pressing environmental issues collectively and come up with innovative solutions to sustainable development.
Ahmed Abdel-Rehim, deputy director of CEDARE, said “the second edition of the forum was pivotal in coordinating environmental policies, bolstering institutional capacities, and advancing sustainable development across Africa.”
He announced the launch of the forum’s digital platform, developed by CEDARE as a centralised network to facilitate communication and knowledge-sharing among African environmental protection agencies.
The platform is equipped with interactive tools designed to address the continent’s critical environmental challenges, enabling the identification and sharing of opportunities to enhance initiatives. It also fosters direct communication among agency heads, facilitates knowledge exchange, and allows connections with diplomats accredited to the United Nations and the African Union, Abdel-Rehim stated.
He noted that the platform acts as an integrated information hub for African nations and that each country can upload its environmental data and monitor progress in sustainable development and environmental initiatives. The platform’s primary aim is to establish a unified information infrastructure encompassing all aspects of the environment and sustainable development in Africa, he added.
It includes a comprehensive database of UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) indicators and national data, enabling users to analyse trends and devise informed policies. Through the use of artificial intelligence (AI), the platform offers innovative insights to analyse large datasets and develop effective solutions, Abdel-Rehim said.
It also provides discussion forums and case studies, as well as projects across Africa, introducing them to decision-makers and enhancing the accessibility of information on funding, training, and other supportive resources.
Morocco was elected as a member of the AFEPA Executive Office at the Forum. This comprises five representatives from Africa’s regional blocs, chosen on a rotational basis for a two-year term.
Morocco’s nomination received strong support from Egypt, Tunisia, and Libya as the representative of North Africa. The newly formed Executive Office now includes Rwanda, Zambia, Niger, Gabon, and Morocco.
* A version of this article appears in print in the 12 December, 2024 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly
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