By: TPA News Desk | editor@thepointafricanews.com

Egypt’s Minister of Environment, Dr. Yasmine Fouad, has officially stepped down from her cabinet post following her appointment as Executive Secretary of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), the Egyptian government confirmed on Sunday.

Dr. Fouad’s resignation marks the end of a significant tenure in which she played a key role in national and global environmental policy, including her leadership during the COP27 climate conference in Sharm el-Sheikh in 2022. Her new position places her at the helm of the UNCCD, one of the three Rio Conventions focused on sustainable land management and combating the effects of desertification and drought globally.

The appointment comes at a critical time, as land degradation continues to threaten food security and climate resilience, particularly across Africa and the Middle East. Dr. Fouad is expected to begin her term in the coming weeks, becoming the first Egyptian and one of the few Africans to lead the Bonn-based institution.

The Egyptian Cabinet expressed appreciation for her years of public service and highlighted her role in raising Egypt’s profile in environmental diplomacy.