Non-Aligned Movement, in itself, is an entity focused on the support of national independence, growth and development of all nations through collaborative and shared efforts and concerns towards several problems the world faces. The 120-member organisation has always served as a firm and foremost helping hand in tackling the issues worldwide, be it related to information technology, poverty eradication or environment conservation.

NAM has always stood firm to achieve the goals by collective efforts of the member states. Issues concerning environment protection have been the most discussed of all when ever-increasing human population seems to be a major cause of environmental degradation. NAM has stood strong for the conservation and protection of environment when Mother Earth and its ecosystems serve as home to humanity and need to be served with an ethical relationship between the two.

While climate change and issues related to environment protection remain no longer individualistic issues, NAM has called on the Member States to ensure life and sustainability on the planet. As a shared responsibility to protect and promote the environment and acting in line with the concerns advocated by NAM, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), in a recent development, have come forward, promising a better and brighter future with protected environment.

The Ministry of Climate Change and Environment of UAE and the Ministry of Environment of Egypt, on December 5, 2019 penned down an agreement to introduce a joint Executive Programme for Environmental Protection 2020-2022. The signing of Memorandum of Understanding between Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, UAE Minister of Climate Change and Environment, and Dr. Yasmine Fouad, Minister of Environment of Egypt took place in Cairo, where both the sides agreed to lend shared efforts, expertise and technological knowledge towards environmental tourism, management of solid waste, climate change and management of natural reserves.

The major focus of cooperation for both the sides houses over the prominent areas of cooperation that include environmental information systems, management of solid waste through unified efforts, oil spill control and contingency plans, environmental impact assessment, marine environment protection, sustainable development indices, environmental regulations for industrial cities, protected areas and biodiversity which are further segregated in different stages.

The development comes as a first of its kind collaborative efforts initiated by the two nations. In line with the terms recognised in the agreement between the two countries, the Ministries of both the sides have decided to roll out the joint environmental projects in three stages. The first stage of the programme lays emphasis on effective and efficient management of hazardous waste and materials and protecting marine life against pollution caused by oil while the second stage is dedicated to the issues of biodiversity, generating environmental awareness and integrated management of protected areas. The third stage is concerned with assessing environmental impacts of businesses and driving the nations towards the green economy.

The joint Executive Programme for Environmental Protection 2020-2022 not only aims to ensure a protected and sustained environment but also to strengthen and deepen the solid bilateral ties between the two economies, especially in the environmental domain. The move marks an understanding of importance of environment in everyone’s life, on part of both the countries and also in chalking out a path that advocates sustainable development across all the sectors. Both the nations hold a strong commitment towards protecting the environment and sustaining it for the generations to come. Conservation and protection of the environment does not remain one’s responsibility but is a shared duty of every living creature on this Earth to ensure a cleaner and a greener environment for them and for their future generations as well. Not only the government’s efforts but also efforts, on part of every single individual, public and private entities are required to share their expertise and strategies to go the extra mile to raise the standard of living of every individual and to achieve the best results.

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