Egypt: Q&A with Environment Minister Khaled Fahmy

[...] Amid these developments, Mada Masr met with Egypt’s Environment Minister Khaled Fahmy on the margins of the COP22, asking him about the conference’s negotiations and Egypt’s most pressing environmental issues.

Mada Masr: Egypt, along with 193 other parties, signed the Paris Agreement this year, but, in the Middle East, only four countries have ratified it: Morocco, the UAE, the Palestinian Authority and Algeria. Why is it taking Egypt longer to ratify the agreement?

Khaled Fahmy: The ratification process in Egypt has started, but, as you know, our parliament has a long list of laws to examine and pass. This is really what is causing the delay. But the political will is there, and I hope that we can finish this process at the beginning of next year, in about two months. I can tell you that we are on track.

[Full article here | Photo by Maher Najm]