Alexandria: Minister of Local Development and Environment Manal Awad announced that the 98th Executive Bureau meeting of the Barcelona Convention for protecting the Mediterranean will be held in the historic city of Alexandria on March 31 and April 1, 2026. Awad stated that this initiative underscores Egypt's commitment to fostering regional cooperation aimed at safeguarding the sea, in line with the outcomes and vision set forth during COP24 in Cairo.

According to State Information Service Egypt, the meeting witnessed the participation of UNEP coordinator Tatjana Hema, along with representatives from Croatia, Cyprus, Italy, Monaco, Morocco, and Slovenia, as well as the head of the Egyptian Environmental Affairs Agency (EEAA), Sherif Abdel Rahim. Awad expressed her hope for productive discussions that will steer the General Secretariat towards achieving a clean, healthy, and sustainable Mediterranean for its inhabitants.

Abdel Rahim highlighted the significance of the meeting as a pivotal moment in the execution of the 2026-2027 work program and in fulfilling the mandates of COP24. This includes the development of the 2028-2033 medium-term strategy and the 2026-2035 Mediterranean Strategy for Sustainable Development. He also noted that the agenda will cover the review of the 2028-2033 budget report and the progress toward establishing a regional climate center.

The Executive Bureau functions on behalf of the contracting parties between sessions to ensure ongoing implementation and to provide strategic guidance.