Egypt has intensified efforts to mobilize financing for "green banks," in preparation for the COP27 Climate Summit, which it will host in Sharm el-Sheikh in late 2022.
Minister of International Cooperation Rania al-Mashat said that innovative financing tools are a catalyst to ensure that the international community’s commitments made at COP26 in Glasgow are implemented ahead of the next summit.
Mashat underscored the importance of bolstering multilateral cooperation to advance the main areas of action to achieve the green transition, namely, mitigation and adaptation projects to climate change, technology transfer, expertise and financing.
She made her remarks at the opening speech at the Green Banks Event “A Green Finance Facilities Ecosystem: A Three Trillion Dollars Opportunity for Africa,” which is organized by the African Development Bank as part of the Middle East and North Africa Climate Week 2022, held in Dubai, UAE.
The minister pointed to Egypt’s steps to advance national efforts and enhance regional and international action to consolidate the climate concepts, preserve the environment, and implement clear and ambitious plans for climate financing through an international framework for innovative financing.
She underlined the international financial institutions’ need to expand climate finance based on various pillars related to inclusion and justice, to ensure that the whole world, particularly the developing and emerging countries, can benefit from climate financing and green investments.
Mashat said all stakeholders, including women, youth and the private sector, shall participate in developing climate action plans and financing eco-friendly projects through innovative financing solutions, risk reduction tools and blended financing.
She pointed to the successive measures taken by the Egyptian government to promote green investments and push towards a green economy.
These include decisions to increase green public investments from 15% in the current fiscal year to 30% in the next fiscal year, followed by a 50% increase in 2024/2025.
In 2021, Egypt secured the first green financing from international and regional banks worth $1.5 billion, directed to finance eco-friendly projects such as water treatment and desalination plants, solid waste management, canal lining, and seawater desalination.
