Environment and Development Forum EDF 2022

Environmental and climate change impact topics including clean and renewable energy, sustainable development, ecological conservation and protection, CO2 emission and pollution control, and food and water security are amongst the top key items on most countries’ agendas. 

Creating strategies, roadmaps, and technologies that address environmental issues, adaptation and mitigation measures, and sustainable development are not only critical but vital to the survival of the human race. Some topics which were once viewed as measures for protecting future generations are now priorities for today, as rapid urbanization and population growth in absence of sustainable measures have led to rapid destruction of the planet’s equilibrium, and in a nutshell, we have less time than once assumed. 

In line with these critical topics and in preparation for the Climate Change CoP27 hosted in Sharm El Sheikh, the event is organized to bring together the thought leaders in this field, from across sectors and industries, in a unique forum which will discuss key critical topics from three angles: Research and development, technical, and commercial. More specifically, the event aims to achieve the following: 

• Attracting innovative technology and solution providers from around the world 

• Provide a key milestone in the preparations for the Climate Change CoP27 

• Driving creativity and innovation in technology 

• Sharing knowledge and developing local skills and human capital 

• Hosting a Youth and Innovation Stage: Educating the “young & youth” community and providing them with a platform to demonstrate their initiatives 

ICARDA will be joining the Plenary Session - Agriculture & Food Security – Better policies to avert an Arab food crisis  

Session Objectives/Outcomes: 

• Highlight the importance of and approaches to mainstreaming climate action in the policy and regulatory frameworks to build resilience to climate change in the water and agriculture sector. 

• Improve understanding and means for engaging key stakeholders in the region to advance a regional position for achieving climate-smart policies and regulations in the water and agriculture sectors in the face of rising food prices. 

• Highlight the importance of inclusive and collaborative development and multi-stakeholder engagement in fostering knowledge dissemination, building capacity, and improving access to technology and finance for climate-smart policies and regulations. 

 Session Co-Chairs: 

• H.E. Dr. Hussein Elatfy, Secretary General, Arab Water Council 

• Mr. Aly Abousabaa, CGIAR Regional Director Central and West Asia, and North Africa Region, and ICARDA Director General  

Moderator: 

• Shahira Al-Wahaibi League of Arab States or  

• Nisreen Laham, AWC – International Water Nexus Expert 

 Other Session Speakers 

• The International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas – ICARDA 

• World Food Program – WFP 

• Amb. Ayman Tharwat, COP27 Agriculture Initiative, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Egypt 

• H.E. Dr. Mohamed El-Quseir, Minister of Agriculture & Land Reclamation – Egypt 

• H.E. Dr. Mohammed H. Abdullahi, Minister of Environment – Nigeria 

• H.E. Ms. Barbara Creecy, Minister of Forestry and Fisheries and Environmental Affairs - South Africa 

• H.E. Dr. Abdulrahman Al Fadley, Minister of Environment, Water & Agriculture - Saudi Arabia 

• Dr. Mohamed Abdelgadir, Country Programme Manager for the Near East, North Africa and Europe Division, IFAD                        

• Dr. Omar El Badawy, Regional Land Resources Project Manager, Centre for Environment and Development for the Arab Region and Europe – CEDARE 

• Ismahane Elouafi, Chief Scientist FAO 

• Emad Adly – President of RAED Network 

ICARDA’s DG & Scientists will also participate in CGIAR Technical Session: Collaborative Efforts for Climate Resilient Food Systems transformation in the Arab World 

   Session Objectives/Outcomes:  

• Highlight existing and potential innovation and approaches towards climate-adapted food systems in the region  

• Improve understanding and collaboration among the region’s stakeholders  

• Highlight the importance of inter-country collaboration and showcase collaborative efforts in technology, resource mobilization, and policy interventions.  

• Highlight the importance of funding for research for development 

  Session Chair:  

• Mr. Aly Abousabaa, CGIAR Regional Director Central and West Asia, and North Africa Region, and ICARDA Director General   

 Moderator:  

• Roula Majdalani, Climate Change Advisor, ICARDA  

 Session Speakers: 

• Kibrom Abay, Egypt Country Program Leader, IFPRI  

• Youssef Brouziyne, Egypt Representative, IWMI, & CGIAR Water Systems Lead, MENA  

• Vinay Nangia, Team Leader Soil, water, and Agronomy, ICARDA  

• Ehab Elharoun Scientist, Sustainable Aquaculture, WorldFish 

• Dalia Yasseen, Chief scientist, Director of the Unit for Monitoring and Evaluating Loss and Waste in Agricultural Products, ARC  

• Melle Leenstra, Agricultural Counsellor Egypt & Jordan, Embassy of the Netherlands  

• Hala Yosry, Desert Research Center, Egypt.