Egypt’s Dr. Yasmine Fouad Named UNCCD Executive Secretary, Marks Historic UN Climate Leadership Milestone
Two months ago, the United Nations took a significant step in advancing global sustainability leadership with the appointment of Dr. Yasmine Fouad of Egypt as the new Executive Secretary of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD). As the international community enters a decisive decade for climate and nature, it is timely and important to recognize the distinguished leader now guiding one of the UN system’s most critical institutions for addressing land degradation, desertification, and drought resilience.
Welcoming the announcement made in New York, Outgoing UNCCD Executive Secretary Ibrahim Thiaw said:
“Yasmine Fouad brings with her a wealth of experience and deep commitment to the environment and sustainable development. I warmly congratulate her on her appointment and have full confidence that she will bring new energy and vision to the role.”
Dr. Fouad brings over 25 years of distinguished leadership in environmental governance, sustainable development, and international climate diplomacy. Since 2018, she has served as Egypt’s Minister of Environment, leading transformative reforms across sectors and championing environmental policy at both national and global levels.
But what sets her apart is a rare distinction: Dr. Fouad is among the few leaders to have served at the helm of all three UN Conventions born from the 1992 Rio Earth Summit. She presided over the 14th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD-COP14), served as Egypt’s Climate Envoy and driving force behind COP27 of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), and now takes the reins of the UNCCD – completing a powerful trifecta of global environmental leadership.
As President of CBD-COP14, Dr. Yasmine Fouad co-led negotiations that laid the groundwork for the Global Biodiversity Framework 2030. At COP27 in Sharm El-Sheikh, she was a catalytic force behind initiatives on climate adaptation, food security, and nature-based solutions, while championing climate finance for the Global South. Her efforts also launched the groundbreaking Presidential Global Initiative that forged new synergies between the Rio Conventions.
Regionally, Dr. Fouad has shaped the African climate agenda, contributing to the African Ministerial Conference on the Environment (AMCEN) and co-chairing NEPAD’s flagship programs on sustainable land management and ecosystem-based adaptation. A visiting scholar at Columbia University’s Earth Institute, she also played a key role in designing Egypt’s Centre of Excellence for Climate Change Adaptation.
Dr. Yasmine Fouad’s appointment sends a strong signal about the growing global urgency around land degradation, desertification, and drought resilience—especially as momentum builds toward UNCCD COP17, to be hosted in Mongolia from August 17-28, 2026. With Dr. Fouad’s leadership, the world has a rare opportunity to elevate the land agenda and position nature as a central driver of sustainable development and climate resilience.
As we look to COP17, her legacy of forging consensus and delivering impact across climate, biodiversity, and desertification makes her the leader we need at this defining moment for our planet’s future.
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