Nairobi: The Youth Love Egypt (YLE) Foundation has concluded its participation in the seventh session of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-7), held in Nairobi from November 29 to December 13. The foundation participated actively in various facets of the assembly, reflecting its commitment to environmental advocacy and youth involvement.
According to State Information Service Egypt, the YLE Foundation was represented by its Founder and CEO, Ahmed Fathy, who played a significant role by moderating the press conference for major groups and stakeholders. This conference was pivotal in presenting the core demands of civil society and youth without any mediation, thereby ensuring their priorities were clearly communicated during the negotiation period.
Throughout UNEA-7, the YLE Foundation closely monitored the negotiations and draft resolutions, disseminating daily newsletters in six consecutive editions to its LinkedIn audience. The newsletter successfully reached over 45,000 followers globally, with more than 15,000 confirmed readers, effectively extending the reach of developments within the negotiation halls to a larger audience of youth and environmental stakeholders.
The foundation facilitated the participation of several international youth by supporting their access to event badges, ensuring broader youth representation. Significant resolutions adopted at the assembly included those on wildfire management, coral reef protection, responses to sargassum algal blooms, and issues related to glaciers and the cryosphere. Governance-related resolutions also emphasized youth participation in environmental action and the role of sports in sustainable development.
Political discussions highlighted the importance of the ministerial declaration as a guiding framework and addressed challenges in implementation and financing. The role of the United Nations Environment Programme was underscored, alongside rising political ambition on issues like climate and the One Health approach.
Ahmed Fathy, who is also the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the YLE, emphasized the foundation's active involvement, stating that their participation was substantive and not merely symbolic. He highlighted the importance of securing adequate means of implementation and financing to ensure that the assembly's decisions translate into concrete actions.
The YLE's engagement at UNEA-7 was part of its broader efforts, coinciding with the presence of another team at the Meeting of the Contracting Parties to the Barcelona Convention in Cairo. This dual participation underscores the foundation's commitment to connecting international environmental negotiations with practical youth involvement on the ground.