Egypt - UNCCD COP18 & Environmental Diplomacy
Egypt has begun preparations to host the 18th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification in 2028, as Cairo seeks to strengthen international cooperation on drought, land degradation and water security.
Key Highlights
COP18: Egypt begins preparations to host the UN desertification conference in 2028
Unanimous selection: Cairo says the hosting decision reflects international confidence in Egypt's environmental diplomacy
National priorities: Drought, water security and food security will remain central to Egypt's agenda
Developing countries: Egypt calls for additional financing to support African and other vulnerable states
Regional coordination: Cairo plans to continue advocating for Arab and African priorities in environmental negotiations
Technical cooperation: Talks also cover financing, capacity building and sustainable land management
Egypt's Environmental Diplomacy
2018 — COP14
Egypt hosted the UN Biodiversity Conference
2022 — COP27
Sharm El-Sheikh hosted the UN Climate Change Conference
2028 — COP18
Egypt will host global negotiations on desertification, drought and land degradation
Preparations Begin for COP18
Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty discussed preparations for the conference during a meeting on Tuesday with Yasmine Fouad, Executive Secretary of the UNCCD.
The talks focused on priorities for cooperation between Egypt and the convention's secretariat, including preparations for the international gathering and efforts to address desertification, drought and land degradation.
From Climate Diplomacy to Land Resilience
Hosting COP18 will give Egypt another platform to connect climate action with drought resilience, sustainable land management, water security and the development priorities of vulnerable countries.
International Confidence in Egypt's Role
Abdelatty welcomed the unanimous decision to select Egypt as host of COP18, describing it as a reflection of international confidence in the country's role in environmental diplomacy, climate action and multilateral cooperation.
He said the decision builds on Egypt's experience hosting major international environmental conferences, including the UN Climate Change Conference COP27 in Sharm El-Sheikh in 2022 and the UN Biodiversity Conference COP14 in 2018.
The foreign minister reaffirmed Egypt's commitment to working closely with the UNCCD secretariat to ensure the success of the 2028 conference.
An Arab and African Voice
Egypt intends to use its COP18 role to help coordinate Arab and African positions and keep the priorities of developing countries prominent in international environmental negotiations.
Abdelatty also highlighted Egypt's intention to build on its role in coordinating Arab and African positions and advocating for the priorities and interests of developing countries in international environmental negotiations.
Drought, Water and Food Security
The meeting addressed opportunities to strengthen cooperation on combating desertification, drought and land degradation, challenges that have significant implications for agricultural development and natural resource management.
Abdelatty emphasized that drought, water security and food security remain among Egypt's foremost national priorities.
Drought: Strengthening preparedness before environmental pressures become more severe
Water security: Protecting limited resources and improving resilience
Food security: Addressing the impact of land and water pressures on agricultural production
Land degradation: Supporting sustainable land-management policies and restoration efforts
The foreign minister called for a preventive, development-oriented approach to addressing these challenges, with greater emphasis on measures that reduce vulnerability before environmental pressures become more severe.
Prevention Before Crisis
Egypt is calling for international action to shift from reacting to drought and land degradation after they occur toward reducing vulnerability before environmental pressures escalate.
Financing Resilience in Developing Countries
Abdelatty stressed the importance of mobilizing new and additional financing for developing countries, particularly African nations, to help them respond to drought and land degradation.
Abdelatty and Fouad exchanged views on how Egypt and other countries could make greater use of the UNCCD's mechanisms for financing, technical assistance and capacity building.
Closing the Resilience Finance Gap
Cairo wants COP18 preparations to place greater emphasis on the financing and technical support developing countries need to confront drought, water scarcity and degraded land.
The discussions focused on supporting national and regional efforts to address drought and water scarcity, while strengthening the ability of developing countries to implement sustainable land management policies.
Egypt expressed its interest in maintaining close coordination with the convention's secretariat throughout the preparations for COP18.
The 2028 conference will provide an opportunity for Egypt to advance international discussions on desertification, drought resilience and sustainable land management, while highlighting the challenges facing African and other developing countries.
Wed, Oct. 28, 2026
