Egypt will host the 24th Meeting of the Contracting Parties to the Barcelona Convention (COP24) from December 2 to 5, bringing together environment ministers and representatives from 21 Mediterranean countries along with senior UN Environment Programme officials. The conference will review 2024–2025 progress under the Mediterranean Action Plan and adopt key decisions on the 2026–2027 work programme and budget.
Egypt's Ministry of Environment announced on Monday that the country will host COP24, uniting environment ministers and representatives from 21 Mediterranean nations with senior officials from the UN Environment Programme (UNEP). Manal Awad, Minister of Local Development and Acting Minister of Environment, stated the conference will review 2024–2025 progress under the Mediterranean Action Plan (MAP) and adopt key decisions on the 2026–2027 work programme and budget.
Proceedings start with an informal meeting of heads of delegations, followed by the official opening where Egypt assumes COP presidency from Slovenia. On December 4, a high-level session titled “Sustainable Blue Economy for a Resilient and Healthy Mediterranean” will convene. The gathering will present a report on activities since COP23 and propose a 2026–2027 work programme and budget, incorporating adjustments from the MAP Coordinating Unit meeting in Greece in September 2025.
The conference will also announce the winner of the fifth edition of the Istanbul Environmentally Friendly City Award. Ministers will discuss Egypt's submitted Cairo Ministerial Declaration as host, paving the way for its adoption before the final report on the closing day. COP24 spotlights the sustainable blue economy's role in a just transition to a low-carbon, resource-efficient, and circular economy, aligned with the 2030 Agenda.
Participants are expected to adopt major regional frameworks, including the updated Mediterranean Strategy for Sustainable Development 2026–2035, the Regional Climate Change Adaptation Framework 2026–2035, and the revised Ecosystem Approach Policy and Roadmap.