The first journey of German Federal Foreign Minister Baerbock to the MENA region had its final destination in Egypt on the 12^th of February 2022 where she had conversations about bilateral cooperation, the delicate matter of human rights as well as the topic of climate and environmental sustainability which will receive particular attention in the framework of the relationship between the two countries during this year: Egypt will organize and conduct the World Climate Conference – COP 27 – in November 2022 in Sharm El-Sheikh, hosting Annalena Baerbock as the head negotiator for Germany.

In this context, the DAAD Regional Office Cairo had the great honor to welcome Federal Minister Baerbock on the evening of the 11^th of February 2022 and to introduce her to the various stakeholders and partner organizations of the network “Cairo Climate Talks” (CCT): CCT is a German-Egyptian environmental platform and a collaborative project by the German Embassy in Cairo, the Egyptian Ministry of Environment, the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), the Egyptian Environmental Affairs Agency (EEAA) and the Egyptian German High Level Joint Committee for Renewable Energy, Energy Efficiency and Environmental Protection (JCEE).

CCT serves as a platform for exchange, assembling governments, science, the private sector, NGOs as well as the civil society in order to evaluate contemporary questions about the protection of climate and environment. By this, the platform makes a valuable contribution to enhance the general awareness of sustainability in Egypt. The role of the German mediating organizations, such as the DAAD, is to contribute with their expertise in order to strengthen the civil society’s commitment.

A reception at the DAAD Regional Office Cairo on Friday evening gave Federal Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock an impression of the participating organizations’ impressive efforts and great commitment for the protection of climate and environment: Beside the German mediating organizations and the Friedrich Ebert Foundation, the Heliopolis University for Sustainable Development, the SEKEM-initiative, Transport for Cairo, Greenish, Upfuse, Banlastic, Kendaka as well as youthinkgreen presented their efforts and products that promote sustainability.

The personal exchange of Federal Minister Annalena Baerbock with these role models for civil commitment, together with the outstandingly successful bilateral collaboration in the areas of climate and environmental protection, serves as a valuable starting point of the preparations for the World Climate Conference in November – further CCT-activities will follow, in cooperation with the DAAD.

Author: Isabell Mering